“El Padrote de Progreso” Wins Judgeship Despite Trafficking Claims

Mexico City — Hernán Jesús Vega Burgos, a Yucatán-based lawyer known as "El Padrote de Progreso" ("The Pimp of Progreso") due to accusations of involvement in a human trafficking network, has won an election to become a magistrate in Mexico's judiciary. The victory comes despite the U.S. government revoking his visa earlier this year over alleged ties to a sex exploitation ring.

Background of the Allegations

On February 5, Vega Burgos was notified by U.S. authorities that his visa had been revoked. The decision stemmed from accusations that he facilitated a sex trafficking operation during his tenure as a state delegate for Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).

In June 2009, two Costa Rican women—Raquel Ivannia N. and Yoheny N.—filed complaints alleging they were forced into sexual servitude after arriving in Mexico. According to their testimonies, they were taken to a safe house in Yucatán and coerced into having sex with multiple men, including Vega Burgos. The women identified a woman referred to as "La Madame" as the ringleader of the operation.

The victims claimed Vega Burgos provided protection to the network in exchange for access to the women and a monthly payment of 30,000 pesos (approximately $1,500). His alleged role included allowing Central American women to enter Mexico without official documentation, making it difficult to trace their disappearances.

Rafael Acosta Solís, then Yucatán’s deputy attorney general, confirmed the allegations and named Vega Burgos’ driver, Juan Vicente Huaracha, and a migration subdelegate, Alejandro Barrera, as accomplices. Vega Burgos resigned from his position and was arrested by Yucatán authorities on human trafficking charges. He was also investigated by Mexico’s Organized Crime Special Prosecutor’s Office and Costa Rican judicial police.

Acquittal and Judicial Candidacy

Despite the accusations, Vega Burgos was acquitted and has no criminal record, allowing him to run for public office. On June 1, he secured over 115,000 votes to win the magistracy for the Fourteenth Chamber of Yucatán’s Superior Court of Justice.

The U.S. government, however, maintains that his acquittal was influenced by judicial connections, deeming him a security risk and barring him from entering the country.

Civil Society Challenges the Election

The civil rights organization Defensorxs, which monitors high-risk candidates, has announced plans to challenge Vega Burgos’ election victory.

"We classify Hernán Vega Burgos as a high-risk magistrate because he was detained for protecting a human trafficking network and even abusing some of its victims. His victory not only shows, once again, that there were no filters to prevent risky candidates from appearing on the ballot. It also reveals that these candidates received electoral support from various political actors to secure a landslide victory," the organization stated.

Miguel Alfonso Meza, director of Defensorxs, told Milenio that the group is working with defeated candidates to file legal challenges against Vega Burgos’ win.

Ongoing Controversy

The case has reignited debates over judicial integrity and the screening process for elected officials in Mexico. Vega Burgos’ election underscores concerns about impunity and the influence of political connections in judicial outcomes.

The U.S. visa revocation highlights international scrutiny of his alleged crimes, while Mexican civil society groups vow to contest his appointment.