The mayor and other authorities are the subject of an investigation, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum, who condemned the mayor’s behavior.
A Mexican mayor who publicly hailed drug lord Nemecio Oseguera Cervantes for presenting Christmas gifts to the town’s youngsters has been the subject of an inquiry by Mexican prosecutors.
President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned Mayor Avila Castrejon’s actions during a press conference on Monday and ordered a thorough investigation into her and other public officials for suspected connections to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Coalcoman, a small municipality in the drug-trafficking hotspot of Michoacan, a coastal state.
The town’s security chief is one of the other officials.
Sheinbaum declared, “We are against the glorification of these criminal groups,”
“An inquiry is underway to find out why this flag was displayed and whether the municipal president has any connections to this criminal organization. The Public Prosecutor’s Office must conduct an investigation before making a decision.
Castrejon expressed gratitude to “El Mencho,” the head of the violent and influential CJNG, on December 10 for giving Christmas presents to the kids in Coalcoman.
Last week, a video of the mayor publicly expressing gratitude went viral on social media. It featured banners expressing gratitude to Oseguera Cervantes, his sons, and Armando Gomez Nunez, a cartel enforcer who was recently jailed and known as “Delta 1.”
“The Coalcoman children express their gratitude to Mr. Nemesio Oseguera and his boys Delta 1 and 2, for their thoughtful act. “Thank you for the presents,” a banner said.
Connections to the cartel
The mayor has previously been accused of cartel involvement, despite Castrejon’s denial of any affiliation with the Jalisco Cartel and doubts about the veracity of the footage.
Monica del Carmen Avila, the spouse of senior cartel leader Armando Gomez “Delta 1” Nunez, who was named in the banner, is Castrejon’s first cousin. Last October, Nunez and his spouse were taken into custody.
Before taking office as mayor of Coalcoman, Castrejon allegedly funneled resources to the Jalisco Cartel and is currently being investigated for forced disappearances.
In the past, Mexican drug cartels have frequently distributed food bags or gifts to locals over the holidays in an effort to boost their reputation or garner support.
Although the gangs typically demand protection money from the locals, the cartels frequently want the locals to alert them to army raids.
