By Carlos Loret de Mola, columnist.
Violence has erupted in Tabasco, with Villahermosa being the city where residents feel the most insecure—95% of them, according to official data. Governor Javier May publicly blames his predecessor and party colleague, Adán Augusto López, for this situation.
Both May and López are members of Morena, loyal to López Obrador, and from Tabasco. However, they have never been allies. In the current political climate, Adán Augusto is seen as a “fifí” (elitist) and May as a “chairo” (leftist), reflecting their career and family backgrounds.
Javier May has been part of the Tabasco left’s social struggle since the 1980s, while Adán Augusto was a PRI member who tried to undermine those movements. May was a rebel alongside López Obrador, while López was a government emissary who quelled protests by offering financial contributions to the movement.
Adán Augusto’s father, Payambé López, was a notary and deputy attorney general with strong ties to AMLO’s family. When López Obrador’s family faced serious trouble, Payambé protected them, leading to a close relationship between Adán Augusto and Andrés Manuel.
Years later, Adán Augusto became a link between the government and López Obrador, bringing financial resources to quell protests. Over time, Adán Augusto switched to Obradorism after falling out with the PRI. His personal closeness to AMLO secured him prominent positions, which Javier May could only dream of.
As governor, Adán appointed Hernán Bermúdez as Secretary of Security, who was identified as a mafia leader. Despite intelligence reports exposing Bermúdez, Adán resigned to become AMLO’s Secretary of the Interior and a presidential candidate. Javier May later became governor, gaining power through a political-financial alliance with López Obrador’s sons.
For months, violence has spiraled out of control in Tabasco, with massacres, killings, and narco-blockades. On November 14, Governor May blamed the violence on Adán Augusto for appointing Bermúdez, linked to the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel, as state security secretary. The next day, Andy López Beltrán called for party unity in Tabasco, but the violence continued.
This weekend, a march was organized in support of May and for peace in the state. The state government accuses Adán Augusto López of being the main generator of violence. Adán remains silent, with no one holding him accountable.
Source: El Universal
