In an interview with Pamela Cerdeira for MVS Noticias, Adela Navarro, general director of the Zeta Weekly, explained everything about the infested police forces: the failed purge of police corporations in Baja California.
Mexico’s security strategy faces new questions after the alleged direct participation of National Guard members in high-impact crimes was revealed. Navarro presented a critical situation in Baja California, where the line between law enforcement and organized crime seems to be blurring.
The recent turning point was the entry of a National Guard unit into the residence of some doctors to rob them, an event that was captured on video. According to Navarro, the images are harrowing, showing the victims “asking for help because there were men dressed in the official uniform… and they were robbing them.”
According to an investigation published by the weekly newspaper Zeta in 2024, since the arrival of the National Guard in the state, “73 National Guard members have been documented as suspects in 13 crimes ranging from drug theft and murder to home burglary and rape.”
For the journalist, the problem is structural. “This National Guard was born corrupt,” Navarro stated, explaining that the institution was formed by recruiting soldiers and former federal police officers without proper vetting.
The most serious issue is the institutional response to these crimes; instead of firm criminal proceedings, the prevailing practice is the relocation of the officers. “Do you know what they do? They transfer them to another state… you’re not going to be in Tijuana anymore, you’re going to Chihuahua now,” explained the newspaper’s director.
Local Police and the Return to the Violence of 2006
The crisis is not exclusive to federal forces. Local police also face severe problems with internal integrity. Navarro highlighted the case of the State Security Force, whose officers participated in the theft of 180 kg of drugs, resulting in the suspension of 14 agents, but without any thorough criminal investigations. Likewise, in Tecate, 93 officers failed their background checks and psychological evaluations.
The current situation in Baja California is reminiscent of the darkest period of violence experienced between 2006 and 2010. Today, the streets are the scene of accusations exchanged through banners displayed by drug cartels, where criminal groups accuse police officers of working for rival cartels.
Given the lack of effective vetting and the militarization of public security, which has failed to curb corruption, the interview’s conclusion resonates with concern: “There’s no one to ask for help.”
Source: mvsnoticias
