The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel have increased their presence in León, Guanajuato, by recruiting criminals from various regions of Mexico, as confirmed by the Secretary of Security, Prevention and Citizen Protection of said municipality, Jorge Enrique Guillén Rico.
The Secretary of Security pointed out that these criminal groups are attracting people from states such as Jalisco, Guerrero, State of Mexico, Puebla, Michoacán and Chiapas to strengthen their operations in this important industrial city.
The confirmation of this criminal activity arose after the arrest of two individuals linked to the CJNG, currently led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho.
The events were recorded in the San Pedro de los Hernández neighborhood, north of León. The arrest occurred last Friday, October 11, when officers patrolling the area were alerted by a woman about the presence of two armed men who were holding her husband.
The police quickly intervened and arrested the suspects, identified as Bryan David, 32 years old and originally from Puebla, and Jorge Luis, 35 years old and from Guerrero. Both subjects presented themselves as members of the four-letter criminal group and were armed with the intention of extorting the family, after having confused their home with a supposed drug sales point.
Secretary Guillén Rico stressed that this is not an isolated incident and is part of an alarming trend in the region: “What stands out most is the presence of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel, which are recruiting people from other states,” he explained in statements to the press.
This phenomenon is not limited only to the arrest of these two individuals. Just at the end of September, five subjects from Jalisco and Guerrero were arrested, identified as alleged perpetrators of a massacre in the Villas de San Nicolás II neighborhood, where four people lost their lives in an act of violence related to organized crime.
León: a strategic point for organized crime
León’s appeal for these criminal organizations lies in its importance as an urban and industrial center. The city, which is the third most populated in Mexico, has become a key target for drug trafficking due to its economic development and its strategic geographic location within the country.
“León is one of the most important cities in the Mexican Republic, it is very industrial and all of that draws attention,” said Guillén Rico, who stressed that the constant flow of people and goods through the region facilitates the illicit activities of the cartels.
The growing influence of the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel in León has also been driven by the rivalry between these two organizations, which compete for control of drug trafficking routes and local markets. According to intelligence reports from state and federal authorities, both groups have intensified their fight to dominate this area of the Bajío, with increasingly violent and sophisticated operations.
Given this situation, local, state and federal authorities have implemented a series of measures to stop the advance of the cartels in León. One of the main tools in this fight has been the Analysis and Intelligence Unit of the León Security Secretariat, which works closely with the State Attorney General’s Office and the State Public Security Forces (FSPE) to identify and capture criminals linked to organized crime.
Guillén Rico highlighted the importance of this unit to face the challenges posed by the cartels. “With the analysis and intelligence unit of the Attorney General’s Office and the State Public Security Forces, as well as the one we have, we have been able to identify and arrest people linked to these groups. Joint work is key to containing their advance,” said the official.
In addition, the secretary announced that in the coming days a meeting will be held with the State Public Security Secretariat and the federal government to analyze a new comprehensive security strategy.
Last week, during her usual press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo highlighted that the state of Guanajuato faces serious problems of violence and addictions.
The president pointed out that Guanajuato is the state with the highest number of homicides and young people with addictions in the entire country. In addition, she mentioned that the municipality of León is the one with the highest poverty rate in Mexico.
The president explained that her administration, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Labor and other agencies, will implement social programs to address these problems. The goal is to support the communities most affected by crime and addictions, and to offer alternatives to young people to keep them away from criminal groups.
Sheinbaum also mentioned that the average salary in Guanajuato is lower than the minimum wage, which reflects a failed development model in the region. In response, the government plans to strengthen the initiatives that have already been carried out under the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, focusing on addressing the underlying causes of these problems.
The head of the Executive announced that next year additional resources will be allocated to these programs, in order to expand their scope and effectiveness.
Source: infobae
