Protest against Chihuahua Governor turns violent

A protest turned into a riot Thursday as people demanded Governor Cesar Duarte leave office immediately, El Diario’s news director, Raul Lechuga, said.

The protesters accuse the governor of corruption.

Hundreds of people surrounded the state government building in downtown Chihuahua chanting and calling for Duarte to resign.

At one point, video shows protesters throwing rocks, breaking windows and damaging one of the doors of the historic building that dates back to the 1800s.

Security forces responded with pepper spray.

Gov. Duarte is scheduled to leave office in October after his PRI party and its candidate, former Juarez Mayor Enrique Serrano, lost the June 5 elections.

PRI officials allege electoral fraud and are challenging the victory of opposition candidate Javier Corral.

According to media reports, Gov. Duarte accused Corral of inciting the riots. Corral denies it and on his Facebook post blames Duarte for sending masked people to infiltrate the protest and incite violence.

Lechuga, of El Diario, told ABC-7 the protests were fueled by a recent shortage of gasoline in Chihuahua City and other parts of the state. He said it started when a company that owns around 20 PEMEX franchises was plagued with legal problems and the government cut off its gasoline distribution.

That led to panic buying as supply could not keep up with demand. Protesters blamed the shortage on Duarte, but Lechuga said there was no evidence to suggest the gobernor had anything to do with it.

Lechuga said the riot left several people injured and others were jailed.