The Military Court charges the captain, a lieutenant and a sergeant for the death of two soldiers in Cerro Muriano (Córdoba)

CÓRDOBA, January 19. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Military Court number 21 of Seville, which is investigating the death of two soldiers at the Cerro Muriano base (Córdoba) on December 21 during the development of an exercise, "has issued an order initiating summary and charging" for such events. , "to the captain" of the company of the 'Guzmán el Bueno' Brigade against the effectiveness of the service".

This was announced this Friday by the lawyer Luis Romero, who represents the family of the deceased soldier, Carlos León, who explained that the accusation of the two officers and the non-commissioned officer is due to the fact that "the security measures did not fulfill their purpose." function that day and because in this case there was no lifeline", when the soldiers drowned while crossing a lake, during an exercise.

Added to this, according to the prosecution's lawyer, is that the backpacks carried by the soldiers and "which were supposed to serve as floats, were not properly standardized and were overweight, many of them weighing three and a half kilos, so "so they were not suitable, among other reasons", to be used in said exercise, Romero opining that, in this way, "he has been proven right" by the Military Court.

In this sense, he stated that "it was not a mere accident, but rather there was an accumulation of negligence and lack of diligence in the submersion of about 20 people, including 15 soldiers, in a lake that was frozen, almost frozen. , and in circumstances that were not ideal and such an exercise should have been paralyzed."

For this reason, he regretted that there were two deaths, soldier Carlos León Rico, 24 years old and native of El Viso del Alcor (Seville), and Corporal Miguel Ángel Jiménez Andújar, 34 years old and native of Adamuz (Córdoba). ; two affected by "severe hypothermia, one went into cardiorespiratory arrest who was able to recover", and the next day, "two or three more had to be hospitalized", so that "almost half of those who submerged in the lake almost frozen."

In this regard, the lawyer has assessed that the order "agrees with them" as a private accusation, while thanking the military-clad judge for "rejecting to declare the secrecy of the proceedings as requested by the Judicial Police and the Civil Guard." because, in his opinion, "that would have been typical of other times, it would mean obscurantism and would violate the constitutional right to a public process."

Meanwhile, he has maintained that "the competent jurisdiction is the ordinary one and not the military one", hence he is going to present "the corresponding appeal" against the decision of the Court of Instruction number 4 of Córdoba to recuse himself, to which he has added that "the Military Court is not competent either," since "it would in any case be the Central Military Court," because "the chiefs, the commander, the lieutenant colonel, the colonel and the Brigadier General must be investigated," he said. defended.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, asked this Friday the judge responsible for the investigation to "go to the end" and that "no one be afraid to tell the truth" among the soldiers who witnessed the events.

On a visit to the Troop Training Center number two and the Coastal Artillery Regiment number four in the Camposoto Barracks in San Fernando (Cádiz), the minister, after recalling her recent visit to Cerro Muriano, defended "with absolute forcefulness" that "we must go to the end and clarify the facts."

In this regard, he commented that during his visit he told all the soldiers who "had been there that terrible day to tell the whole truth" and that "no one should keep quiet about anything." "The only thing I want is for the whole truth to be told and for the clarification of the facts to be reached to the end, which will have the full support of the Ministry of Defense," Robles emphasized, to point out that "it is at judge whose responsibility it is to say what has happened".

In this sense, he has asked that "there be no type of silence and that everything be told", while declaring that "it is very important that the judge determine the responsibilities as soon as possible", because "there cannot be the slightest shadow of doubt about the Army as a whole", after which he asserted that "the Army are magnificent professional men and women, with a will to serve and give themselves and they deserve to have the truth reached as soon as possible." and the clarification of the facts".

Furthermore, he has pointed out that "the position of the Ministry of Defense is very clear", with "full support for what the judges do, asking those who were present and witnesses to tell the whole truth and asking, please, that "as soon as possible to find out what really happened."

If the Ministry of Defense is asked for subsidiary civil liability and the judges agree to it, Robles has stated that "it will be fully assumed, as it has to be", while insisting that "no one keeps any data, that everything "Let the world tell everything and let the judge determine the responsibilities."