Organized crime groups have infiltrated municipal police forces in Michoacán, and local mayors are being pressured to cooperate with them, Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla admitted on Monday, July 13.
During a press conference, Ramírez Bedolla said that some municipal police officers extort residents and revealed that authorities have identified municipalities where police are working in coordination with criminal cartels.
Among the municipalities identified as areas of concern are Ecuandureo, Zinapécuaro, Chavinda, Zacapu, Ario de Rosales, and Uruapan.
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In Uruapan, seven police officers have been arrested and remain in custody for their alleged involvement in the murder of former mayor Carlos Manzo, which occurred on November 1.
In response to the infiltration of organized crime into municipal police forces, the governor reiterated his proposal for a national debate aimed at reforming both federal and state laws.
According to Ramírez Bedolla, the proposed reforms would allow the National Guard to take responsibility for public security in the country’s more than 2,000 municipalities.
The governor said he has discussed the issue with President Claudia Sheinbaum in an effort to advance legal reforms that would strengthen municipal security across Mexico.
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Ramírez Bedolla emphasized that municipalities have constitutional autonomy but argued that the Constitution should be amended to allow the federal government to play a greater role in providing security for communities that need it most.
Michoacán has seen several recent cases involving police officers allegedly linked to organized crime, particularly the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Authorities have also reported cases in which police officers allegedly attacked fellow officers, including the mass killing in Nahuatzen, where five police officers were killed and five others were injured.
In connection with that attack, the Michoacán Attorney General’s Office arrested two police commanders from the municipality of Zacapu for their alleged involvement in the massacre.
In several regions of the state, it has long been widely believed that local police forces maintain ties with criminal groups responsible for violence and insecurity.
However, this marks the first time that the Governor of Michoacán has publicly acknowledged the seriousness of the relationship between municipal authorities and organized crime groups operating in different parts of the state.
Source: elfinanciero
