Twenty years ago today, news broke that drug trafficking had infiltrated Yucatán, with drug lords reportedly operating in Mérida.
Mérida: A Strategic Bridge
On that day, official documents revealed that Mérida was being used by drug trafficking groups as a support point to extend their criminal activities from Quintana Roo to Tamaulipas. A federal police search, supported by the Army, in a residence in the Montebello subdivision of Mérida highlighted the city’s importance to organizations like the Gulf Cartel, led by Osiel Cardenas Guillen.
Sources from the then PGR indicated that members of the Gulf Cartel had been present in Mérida for three years, providing the organization with security, housing, transportation, and communication devices.
Hitman Involvement
Further investigation revealed that a hitman from the Gulf Cartel, Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar, played an active role in purchasing land and constructing the raided residence in Montebello. Rejón Aguilar, operating in Tamaulipas, was considered one of the cartel’s bloodiest enforcers and was among the most wanted criminals by the PGR.
Enrique Salinas de Gortari’s Murder
Another significant story at the time was the investigation into the murder of Enrique Salinas de Gortari, brother of former President Carlos Salinas. The Attorney General of the State of Mexico pursued four lines of investigation related to his finances, family, romantic relationship, and work relationship. The Attorney General of the Republic, Rafael Macedo de la Concha, did not rule out criminal action against Carlos or Raúl Salinas if Swiss authorities substantiated alleged money laundering.
Luxury Cruise Ship Visits Yucatán
In local news, December 9, 2004, marked the first visit of a luxury tourist cruise ship to the Yucatán ports of San Felipe and Celestun. The “megayacht,” with a capacity for 110 passengers and 94 crew members, arrived from Puerto Morelos. Passengers, considered to be of high purchasing power, visited Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam and observed flamingos. The ship was also expected to dock in Progreso, where Governor Patricio Patrón Laviada would officially welcome the crew and passengers.
Source: Diario de Yucatan
