In San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, a worrying situation has emerged in which credit collectors are carrying out illegal practices ranging from extortion to theft of belongings. These collectors abuse low-income people, especially women in vulnerable situations, generating a spiral of perpetual debt due to the high interests imposed and the serious violence with which collections are carried out.
The victims of these dishonest practices have begun to report these acts to the prosecutor’s office. They are forced to endure daily visits to their businesses, where collectors demand payments, even resorting to theft of belongings if they do not have the money at the time. These actions are carried out without a court order, evidencing a clear abuse and violation of people’s rights.
Faced with this situation, local lawyers are warning debtors about their rights, ensuring that no one can take away their belongings without the presence of judicial clerks and orders signed by a Judge. Even the legal firm, Ramírez + Riba, has offered free advice to those who are victims of these illegal practices, hoping that more firms will join the cause.
The victims cry out for help from the municipal government, the prosecutor’s office and even the National Immigration Institute, requesting an immediate and effective response from the police in the face of the growing violence carried out by collectors. It is essential to remember that the Mexican Constitution prohibits extrajudicial collection in its article 14, establishing that no one can have their belongings taken away without a legal process before a judge.
Furthermore, the Penal Code of Guanajuato establishes considerable penalties for these abuses, with sentences ranging from 4 years in prison for the use of violence and intimidation in credit collection, to 10 years in prison for the theft of debtors’ belongings. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, it is important to seek legal support and report to put an end to these abuses.
Source: News San Miguel
