Now, the victim’s cousin has complained to a federal judge that he never gave permission to be filmed, leading to the judge issuing a warrant to block the film’s public exhibition. The producers believe he is being coerced into this by shady forces (some would say this is the norm in Mexico) and argue that because the trial is a public event, no permissions are required. “It’s a principle in any democratic society that when a person is accused by the state, they have the right to a public trial,” says Robert Hernandez, the film’s director and producer. “This principle exists in Mexican law and is the basis for us filming the trial. We don’t believe we need the authorization to film anybody involved in the trial. This is a blatant act of censorship.”
     Hernandez insists that the film will continue to be shown in cinemas, at least until they receive official notification. With many prominent Mexican figures, and even politicians, denouncing the censorship as an attack on freedom of speech, they have no doubt that the warrant will be overturned (it is up for hearing on the 11th of March) and that the film will continue to orbit. Eventually, the filmmakers, and arguably all of Mexico, may be thanking the judge, because there is no such thing as bad publicity.

www.presuntoculpable.org