This Thursday morning, José Manuel R. M., alias “El Cochambres,” was arrested by State Highway Police officers in the center of Oaxaca City after being involved in a vehicle accident. The arrest was made with a firearm, given the dangerous nature of the individual, who has at least eight outstanding arrest warrants.
Ministerial sources reported that he was immediately transferred and placed at the disposal of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) in Oaxaca, where he is being guarded by members of the National Guard. They also confirmed that “El Cochambres” will be imprisoned in the coming hours for organized crime (OC), aggravated homicide, and other crimes committed in the Papaloapan Basin.
José Manuel R. M. is identified as the leader of a criminal cell linked to the Confederación Joven de México (CATEM), from which he exercised control over transportation sectors in regions such as the Central Valleys and the city of Oaxaca, primarily. In 2020, he had already been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of a citizen in San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec in 2016; however, he was released shortly thereafter.
POLITICAL LINKS
In addition to his criminal record, El Cochambres forged political networks with key figures of Morena (Nationalist National Regeneration Movement) in Oaxaca. He was an active campaigner for Senator Laura Estrada Mauro and Federal Representative Irma Juan Carlos, providing them with logistical and political support through his union.
Even in the Central Valleys, his organization strengthened the campaigns of Nancy Benítez, the current mayor of Xoxocotlán; Ray Chagoya, in the capital of Oaxaca; and the current governor of the state, Salomón Jara Cruz, according to sources close to the campaign structures.
RESCUE ATTEMPT
After his arrest, truckers affiliated with his group arrived at the Highway Police facilities in an attempt to free him by force. However, upon arriving, “El Cochambres” had already been transferred to the FGR facilities, which prevented a potential confrontation.
With this arrest, the Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office claims to have struck another blow against one of its priority targets in the state, noted for its role in generating violence and its ties to politically and economically powerful groups in various regions.
El Piñero Periodismo y Debate will continue to follow this case, which has a high impact on Oaxacan public life.
Source: elpinero
