Signs of El Mencho’s control at the municipal level have been appearing for years, and the arrest of Diego Rivera Navarro, mayor of Tequila, confirms the complicity of organized crime with local governments.
The evidence presented against Rivera Navarro and officials in his administration suggests that Juan Manuel Pérez Sosa, director of Public Security, acted as the link to an operator of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), identified as Severo Flores Mendoza, alias “El Rey Mago” (The Wise Man).
“El Rey Mago” is the former police chief of Ameca, Jalisco, who was sanctioned by U.S. authorities for alleged ties to the CJNG. Furthermore, in 2022, he held the position of coordinator of police chiefs for the Valles region of Jalisco, comprised of 14 municipalities, including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.
The positions Severo Flores held gave him access to privileged information, and he became corrupted, eventually becoming a henchman for the CJNG cartel, receiving bribes in exchange for reports for organized crime.
“Severo Flores Mendoza is a corrupt municipal police officer, a naturalized Mexican citizen, who provides police information to the CJNG in exchange for bribes,” the Treasury Department wrote on June 2, 2022, after sanctioning him for ties to organized crime.
Severo Flores held various police positions in Jalisco for more than a decade, although in 2014 he failed a background check for police officers.
On June 3, 2022, Juan Valentín Serrano, then mayor of Ameca, dismissed “El Rey Mago” (The Wise Man) from his position as commissioner of the Municipal Police following allegations of his ties to the CJNG.
State authorities denied the existence of an investigation against the former official or an arrest warrant, so he remained free.
After Severo Flores Mendoza’s dismissal, there is no record of him holding any public office.
Less than a year ago, José Murguía Santiago, mayor of Teuchitlán, Jalisco, was arrested for alleged ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Following the discovery of the Izaguirre ranch in the town, it was reported that Murguía Santiago was aware of the operation of the training and torture center used by the cartel, but he did not notify the authorities or take any action to stop it.
At the same time, authorities conducted an investigation into the alleged involvement of municipal police officers from Tala, a town bordering Teuchitlán, and their links to the CJNG.
In March 2025, three officers of the Tala Municipal Police were arrested for the deprivation of liberty of people who were later handed over to civilians at the Izaguirre ranch.
Source: elfinanciero
