By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
The Municipal Police force have resigned and the mayor of Charapan, Michoacán has fled the area following threats from criminal actors, joining the 29,000 persons currently displaced by conflict in Mexico.
Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) leader Octavio Ocampo Córdova told the press today that the PRD Mayor of Charapan, Carlos Morales Bonaparte, has left the area, fearing for his life. Ocampo Córdova also called on federal and state authorities to step in and restore order to Charapan.
However, José Alfredo Ortega Reyes, the Secretary of Public Security claimed later this afternoon that Bonaparte has not fled, but is just in Morelia temporarily for a security meeting. It is unclear why Bonaparte's political ally Ocampo Córdova would have claimed Bonaparte fled if that was not the case.
With the resignation of the Municipal Police force, only three security officers remain; the Director of Public Security, and two Civil Guard officers appointed by the state government, reported newspaper Respuesta.
Ocampo Córdova also added that a couple weeks ago, criminals left a severed head outside a local church with a threatening narco message directed at local police.
Mayor Bonaparte has good reason to believe the threats are credible. Last year, armed criminals attempted to kidnap him as he traveled on the nearby Cocucho-Occumicho highway. He was saved by indigenous Purépecha locals, who chased off the kidnappers, who fled in Bonaparte's vehicle, reported Milenio. Local security forces investigated, but never found the culprits.
Further, seven mayors have been killed in the state of Michoacán, reported political violence researchers at Etellekt.
The small municipality of just under 15,000 inhabitants lies 50 kilometers north west of Uruapan, the seventh most dangerous city in the world by homicide rate, with a staggering death toll of 78 per 100,000 residents in 2022.
The state of Michoacán is one of Mexico's most violent states due to disputes between several criminal groups.
Sources: El Sol de Morelia, City Population Charapan, Publimetro MX, Milenio 3/22, Etellekt Political Violence, Quadratin, Respuesta, El Sol de Morelia
You can follow me on Twitter @HuasoBB.
I tweet about organized crime in Latin America and security in Mexico.
who is in this region? basically the same area as uruapan
ReplyDeleteThat would be el gallito templario migueladas el apa for the 4 letters
DeleteI don't know why the PRI leader would claim the Mayor fled if it wasn't true, considering they are political allies.
ReplyDeleteI included the Michoacan Secretary of Security's statement contradicting that he fled, but it reads to me like he is trying to save face. It doesn't look good to have one of your mayors pushed out of his own town.
Police that resigned will be working for a bigger criminal organization now, for more money. They are not going anywhere.
ReplyDeleteSmall town, only a couple of thousand people left, beautiful historical buildings. Most have fled the terror and poverty.
ReplyDeleteGood morning 🌞 Driving Ms. H
DeleteCan't sleep tonight 😔.
Insomnia has been difficult as of late. I comb through articles, pawing like a rabid dog searching for the word avocado. I take avocado and Nyquil to help with sleep-
DeleteAll those drug addicts cause this.The gospel according to solitude sol
ReplyDelete