Mayor in Nuevo León Arrested for Holding Political Rival in Captivity; He May Be Charged With Kidnapping

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Pedro Casas Quiñones is known for his populist demeanor. During his campaign for office, he gifted people large sums of cash, raffled horses and a house, and hosted large parties for his town at his ranch. Investigators say he may also be involved in the murder of his ex-police chief, as reported by Borderland Beat. 

Pedro Casas Quiñones, the mayor of Ciénega de Flores, Nuevo Leon, was arrested earlier this week for having a rival political supporter in captivity at one of his properties. Mexican prosecutors will likely charge him with kidnapping.

Nuevo Leon State Police officers raided one of the mayor's ranches and found that Erick Lopez, a campaign manager for Casas's political rival Miguel Quiroga, was being held in captivity.

The investigation began after Quiroga, from the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM), told the police that Lopez was being held against his will in Tierra Blanca, one of Casas's ranches.

When the police arrived at Tierra Blanca, they released Lopez and proceeded to arrest Casas.

The police said that there were several city council officials at Tierra Blanca who were planning the political campaign of Margarita Quiroga (no relation to the previously mentioned Miguel Quiroga), who is Casas's wife and current mayoral candidate for the National Action Party (PAN).

Through Facebook, several people shares pictures and videos of the moment when the mayor of Ciénega de Flores was taken into custody.

It should be noted that on March 26, police officers carried out a search inside the Municipal Palace of Ciénega de Flores because it was reported that the mayor and several officials were carrying out activities to induce a vote in favor of Margarita Quiraga. Local media outlets did not provide any more details.

Last February, Borderland Beat reported that the municipal police chief of Cienega de Flores, José Ades García Valadez, was shot to death one block away from where he lived. Investigators have not discarded the possibility that Casas may have been involved in this killing since he was on the phone with him when he was called out of the house and murdered.

Sources: 24 Horas; El Norte (1); SDP Noticias; Vanguardia; Borderland Beat archives