The Secretary of Public Security for the State of Puebla, Francisco Sánchez González, confirmed that investigations are currently underway against seven mayors in the state for alleged irregularities and possible ties to criminal groups.
Although he withheld the names of the municipalities, they coincide with the municipalities where seven Public Security directors were arrested for providing protection and covering up for organizations dedicated to drug trafficking.
These municipalities are Jopala, Tlaola, Tlapacoya, Chietla, Tehuitzingo, Tepatlán, and Chila de la Sal.
In addition to the mayors under scrutiny, the official specified that five municipalities are operating under the control of Municipal Councils due to instability or the lack of conditions for maintaining regular local government.
During a meeting with the media, Sánchez González was questioned about the incidence of federal crimes, such as robberies of truck drivers on the highways that cross the state.
In this regard, he acknowledged the limitations of federal forces, but emphasized the state government’s full willingness to intervene in these conflict zones.
“We are fully aware that, although it is a federal crime, the National Guard’s personnel and vehicle resources are insufficient. We are joining the effort, integrating ourselves into the patrols; although it is not our jurisdiction, this allows us to have a greater presence on the highway, which is always a ‘hotspot,’” he stated.
The secretary praised the coordination with General Carlos Alberto Soto, the National Guard’s state coordinator in Puebla, explaining that this joint approach has allowed them to intervene not only on main roads, but also in the areas where criminals process stolen goods.
“We also work in the municipalities where certain crimes are committed, such as vehicle dismantling or the distribution of stolen merchandise. This has allowed us to reduce the incidence of these crimes, although there is still much work to be done, but we have been able to control this type of crime, which represents our greatest challenge,” he admitted.
Review of Political Profiles to Prevent Criminal Infiltration: Amid concerns about whether the internal candidate selection process for mayoral positions—especially within parties like Morena—could mitigate the infiltration of organized crime into local politics, Sánchez González shared that this issue has already been raised in the Legislative Branch.
The head of the SSP (Secretariat of Public Security) revealed that, following a working session with leaders of various political parties in the State Congress, the possibility was raised of his department assisting in the review of the profiles of those aspiring to elected office.
“Obviously, we are delighted to support them, to conduct a responsible investigation, and to provide them with information on the individuals they will be selecting,” he stated.
Finally, the secretary emphasized the importance of these preventative filters to ensure the integrity of future local authorities and prevent the recurrence of criminal infiltration schemes like those detected in previous electoral processes.
“It is important for everyone to be certain that these people are honest and that we will not have the same kind of problems as we had in the last election,” he concluded.
Source: jornada
