On the first anniversary of the fire at the Waldo's store in Hermosillo, which killed 24 people and injured 15, Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo announced on November 1 a constitutional reform aimed at strengthening prevention and civil protection. The amendment, published in the state's Official Gazette, seeks to reduce the likelihood of tragedies like the one in central Hermosillo recurring.
- Civil protection as a right: The reform recognizes civil protection as a human right and creates the Institute for Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection, an autonomous constitutional body.
- Selection of its head: The institute's director will be chosen through an open public call, evaluation by a specialized technical committee, and ratification by two-thirds of the state Congress.
- Support for victims: The government will maintain medical, psychological, and legal support for the families of the deceased and the injured, as well as comprehensive reparations as applicable.
- Two investigations: The FGR is investigating CFE personnel for negligent crimes, while the state prosecutor's office has charged eight individuals and one legal entity.
An autonomous institute with citizen and technical councils
Durazo explained that the new body will design preventive policies and will have a citizen council and a technical advisory council made up of specialists. The reform was unanimously approved by parties in the local Congress, according to the governor, and the Legislature must issue the call to elect the institution's head in the coming days.
The governor recalled that after the fire, his administration identified shortcomings in a civil protection system that, he said, had been designed to react rather than anticipate. To that end, a consultation process was opened with academics, emergency responders, brigade members, professional associations, civil organizations, and interested citizens.
New law and larger budget
The state executive and civil society organizations linked to the sector will work on a draft Law on Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection, tied to the recently published constitutional reform. Durazo also promised to strengthen budget allocations for state civil protection institutions.
“I know that the pain of this date does not disappear with speeches or decrees,” he said, referring to the first anniversary of the fire. “The State has no right to fail,” he asserted.
In a message shared on social media, the governor said the memory of the victims obliges the State to turn institutional changes into actions that guarantee non-repetition. “You are not alone,” he told the victims' families and the injured.
Parallel federal and state investigations
The FGR is investigating CFE personnel over the November 1, 2025, fire at the Waldo's in Hermosillo, which left 24 dead. The probe seeks to establish possible liability for negligent crimes, including homicide, injuries, and damage.
The FGR delegate in Sonora, Sergio Méndez, reported on February 5 that the agency had opened an investigation file and requested expert reports and laboratory analyses with specialized technology. Méndez said the prosecutor's office recently received the case breakdown and is handling it promptly; although names have emerged, he said he still does not have the number of CFE members who could be involved.
The official explained that the investigation covers conduct without intent to cause harm. “They are negligent crimes, such as injuries, damage, and homicides, among others. All of that is being analyzed within the investigation file that has already been opened and is being integrated.”
The federal probe adds to actions by the Sonora State Prosecutor's Office. In mid-January, the state prosecutor's office reported it had charged eight individuals and one legal entity with negligent homicide, abortion, injuries, damage, use of a false document, and breach of a legal duty.
On January 27, the Sonora prosecutor's office announced the formal prosecution of six individuals and one legal entity in the case. In addition, on December 24, 2025, Sonoran authorities reported they had issued 25 arrest warrants related to the fire and that seven had been executed.
Three days later, on December 27, a judge ordered the release of five people detained for their alleged connection to the Waldo's fire in Hermosillo. The Sonora prosecutor's office appealed the decision, arguing that the release was not due to a finding of innocence or irregularities in their arrests.
The constitutional reform represents a substantive shift in how Sonora addresses risk, moving from a reactive model to a preventive one with constitutional rank. However, its success will depend on the effective implementation of the new institute, the appointment of its head, and coordination with the judicial investigations still seeking to establish responsibility for the tragedy.