Sentinel Tower: A Multi-Billion Peso Security Project Plagued by Delays and Irregularities
Three years and five months after its groundbreaking, the Sentinel Tower, intended as the operational heart of the State Public Security Secretariat (SSPE) in Ciudad Juárez, remains unfinished. Despite the state government, led by Governor María Eugenia Campos Galván, projecting its completion for February 2024, the ambitious project is now mired in significant delays and a growing list of financial anomalies.
The 20-story tower was envisioned as the central hub for the Sentinel Platform and C6 command center. Its purpose was to control an extensive network of surveillance: 1,065 PTZ cameras, 4,800 fixed cameras, 1,791 vehicle license plate readers, 113 identification arches, biometric filters, and 74 drones, all spread across 13 regions of Chihuahua state.
Audit Uncovers Payments for Unreceived Services and Unjustified Modifications
Héctor Acosta Félix, the State Superior Auditor, recently presented the findings of reviews conducted on the SSPE project. These audits revealed a troubling pattern of payments for goods and services that were never received, significant delays in execution, and project modifications lacking sufficient legal justification. Furthermore, the audits highlighted a “lack of deliverables” across various fiscal years.
Specifically, in relation to the multi-year service contract SH/ADE/079/2022, signed by the state government in 2022 for an amount equivalent to 4.709 billion pesos, audits for 2023 and 2024 identified both execution delays and unauthorized modifications to the construction project.
These inspections resulted in 12 observations, a request for clarification, two administrative complaints for non-serious offenses, two more for serious offenses, and a criminal complaint filed with the State Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
Acosta Félix stated that conventional penalties totaling 98.4 million pesos were determined due to the delays. These penalties are currently in the process of being confirmed for collection. The provider and the SSPE have held 14 conciliation meetings, with the SSPE reportedly “diligently addressing the recommendations and observations of the audits.”
Mayor Slams Project as a “Useless Mess” Amidst Pothole Controversy
The delays have not gone unnoticed by local officials. Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, the mayor of Ciudad Juárez, publicly denounced the construction delays after Governor Campos Galván publicly complained about the quality of the pavement in the municipality.
In a video widely circulated on social media, Mayor Pérez Cuéllar retorted, “Dear Governor, I just found out you fell into a pothole, and it truly pains me, but let me tell you that if instead of allocating so many millions of pesos to this mess (Sentinel Tower) that will be of no use to the people of Juárez, you had allocated the money for the streets of Juárez, perhaps you would not have fallen into a pothole.”
He continued, “But well, we, from the municipal government, with the little resources we have, will continue to work hard, and spend the money of the people of Juárez on what is truly needed, not on works that will really be of no use to us and which, by the way, I doubt will ever be finished.”
The mayor’s strong words underscore the growing frustration among local authorities and residents regarding the project’s mismanagement and perceived misallocation of public funds.
What’s Next for the Sentinel Tower?
With audit findings pointing to significant irregularities and a public outcry from local leadership, the future of the Sentinel Tower project is uncertain. The investigation by the State Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office will be crucial in determining accountability and potential legal consequences. Meanwhile, the people of Ciudad Juárez are left to wonder when, or if, this multi-billion peso security initiative will ever fulfill its promise.
Source: https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2026/01/28/estados/atrasos-y-anomalias-marcan-construccion-de-la-torre-centinela-en-ciudad-juarez
