Key Takeaways:
– Mexico’s president confirms investigation targeting officials in Coalcoman town who acknowledged a drug lord’s charitable acts during the holiday season.
– The rogue lord, famously known as “El Mencho”, has a $15 million bounty by the U.S. State Department.
– Criminal organizations have a history of benevolence during holiday seasons for building local support and ensuring their protection.
– The acknowledgment occurred at a Christmas fair by displaying a sign of thanks to “El Mencho”.
– The Mexican Government’s policy of non-confrontation with cartels puts local officials in a compromising position.
Body:
Gripping News From the Mexican West
An intriguing turn of events unfolded this week in the western Mexican town of Coalcoman. Mexico’s president divulged that officials have launched investigations around some local officials associated with acknowledging thanks to a notorious drug lord for his holiday presents to children. The drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera, infamously known by his alias “El Mencho”, holds a bounty worth $15 million on his head by the U.S. authorities.
Historical Interplay of Holiday Generosity and Cartels
Mexico’s crime cartels have had a trend of extending benevolence around holiday seasons. They have been known to gift daily essentials or hand out tokens to local children as gesture of goodwill. These acts align with their strategy for earning local trust and amassing support. This doesn’t lessen the severity of their crimes, as the cartels have been consistently involved in extorting protection money from local dwellers.
Public Acknowledgment Sparks Controversy
The matter surfaced when videos featuring a Christmas fair in Coalcoman started circulating on social media. The recordings exhibit a sign of gratitude prominently displayed for “El Mencho” for his nobility in gifting children during the holiday season. Adding to the surprise, the messages reverberated over a public loudspeaker as well at the fair. The role or awareness of local officials about the entire situation remains ambiguous.
Government Sets Inquiry into Motion
President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her concerns during a press briefing on Monday. She revealed that local officials who might have any ties with the controversial sign or the fair are currently being scrutinized. She categorically condemned the public event for promoting a dangerous criminal through acceptance of violence.
U.S. Federal prosecutors are also probing any link that the town’s mayor might have with felonious organisations, specifically focusing on the participation in putting the sign up.
“El Mencho” and his International Implications
Nemesio Oseguera, better known as “El Mencho”, is not just a local threat. He has been indicted in the United States as well. His notoriety compelled the U.S. State Department to amplify the reward for his capture to $15 million earlier this month. Coincidentally, U.S. officials apprehended the cartel leader’s son-in-law in California last month. He allegedly staged his death to live luxuriously north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Cartel Control and its Influence on Local Residents
The regions around Michoacan’s borders controlled by the Jalisco cartel often exhibit signs of the gang’s dominance. Their audacious activities include setting up checkpoints, launching roadside attacks using bombs and drones, and even coercing locals into staging demonstrations against military operations. Amid all these hostile actions, they have also been seen as benefactors gifting trampolines to local children.
Mexico’s Tricky Cartel Policy and its Local Impact
The Mexican government’s policy of non-confrontation towards criminal cartels often leaves local officials in a precarious position. They are forced to interact and negotiate with local gangs and sometimes, even surrender part of the municipal budget to them.
In a distressing incident, a former prosecutor and local police official, Germán Reyes, was arrested last month for his alleged role in the brutal decapitation of a mayor in October. This exposes the potential association of local authorities with criminal gangs, reinforcing the critical need for reform and strengthening of law enforcement.