Chilpancingo Public Security Secretary Arrested for Mayor's Decapitation in Guerrero

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat

On October 1, 2024, the capital city of Guerrero inaugurated a new Mayor, Alejandro Arcos Catalán. 6 days later, his decapitated head was found on the roof of a pickup truck, his body found stuffed inside of the truck. 

It was a grim reminder of the violence that had occurred leading up to the June elections that saw nearly 40 political candidates assassinated throughout the country. Authorities announced the recent arrest of a retired military Captain who became a special prosecutor, and recently in charge of security for Chilpancingo for his involvement in the murder.

This arrest was also a reminder of the collusion and corruption between cartels, local gangs, politicians and law enforcement in the region that has seen battles between gangs allied with larger cartels including the Los Ardillos and Los Tlacos.

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Four Bodies, Messages Abandoned in SUV in Guerrero

"Enojon" For Borderland Beat

Photograph Credit: Chicurrino on Twitter

The dismembered remains of four individuals and two handwritten banners were discovered on August 25^th in an abandoned SUV along the Chilpancingo-Acapulco highway of Juan R. Escudero, Guerrero.

One of the banners was a message directed at a municipal police officer, which said the unnamed author and the officer had barely spoke recently, and hope to meet soon. The banner was placed on top of two bodies in the trunk of the abandoned red Jeep Cherokee.

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Mayor of Chilpancingo, Guerrero Caught on Video Meeting With Criminal Leader of "Los Ardillos"

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

A video capturing the mayor of Chilpancingo, Norma Otilia Hernández Martínez, having breakfast with a suspected leader of the criminal organization Los Ardillos, has sparked an investigation after surfacing online on July 5th.

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Tixtla: Four Community Policemen Dead

Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat

Armed men ambushed and assassinated four Community Police members of the House of Justice “La Patria es Primero” (“The Motherland Comes First”) of the Regional Coordinator of Community Authorities (CRAC) in the neighborhood El Fortín, located in Tixtla, when they were patrolling the city.

According to El Sur, the assailants fled in ten trucks.

Members of the Community Police reported that at 2:20 pm on Thursday, they received an anonymous phone call warning them about the presence of armed men.

Six Community Police members went to the site on board a truck; they came out of the truck and searched the area to look for the armed men.

Later, the attackers caught up with the Community Police and attacked them with AK-47’s, killing four of them.  The other two members were not injured in the attack.

The bodies were covered with sheets and mats and were removed by villagers and taken to the House of Justice “La Patria es Primero” in the neighborhood El Fortín.

Forensic experts and public prosecutors based in Tixtla arrived at the scene, conducting relevant proceedings.

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Chilapa Residents Denounce Armed Group Kidnapped 30 People

Translated By Valor for Borderland Beat

Residents of Chilapa, Guerrero denounced the disappearances of at least 30 people during the arrival of the hundreds of armed civilians who called themselves “Community Police”.

Chilapa has been hit by several violent incidents attributed to organized crime in recent months, among them includes the finding of 10 human heads and other human remains in clandestine graves in January.

On May 1, Ulises Fabián Quiroz, the PRI mayor candidate, was shot to death.

A few days later, around 300 armed masked men entered the community, who identified themselves as “Community Police” and remained there for nearly a week to combat violence caused by the confrontation between organized crime groups.  The current mayor, Javier García, opted to leave Chilapa, but returned this weekend.

Today, in a meeting with Fernando Esteban Ramírez, Inspector General of the State Commission for Human Rights (CEDH) of Guerrero, the families claimed that the authorities did nothing against the “kidnappings, threats, and intimidations” by the armed civilians.

Relatives of 16 of the missing persons in recent days denounced their case to the CEDH and stated that the relatives of the other 14 missing have not wanted to complain because of fear, according to local media.

Also, last Friday, relatives of the missing youths also protested outside the Secretariat of Public Security Municipal Office in order to ask for the localization of the missing and to have the presence of the Secretary General of the State Government, David Cienfuegos Salgado.

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Alleged Community Guards Lay Siege to Chilapa

At least 300 members of the Mexican Army, Gendarmerie, and State Police are in Chilapa, Guerrero in order to reinforce security.

By: Ezequiel Flores Contreras | Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat

With the support of the Mexican Army, Federal and State Police, a group of armed civilians maintain a city under siege where a hunt unleashed out against Zenén Nava Sánchez, “El Chaparro”, who is the alleged leader of the criminal group “Los Rojos”.

The event shows the vacuum of authority that exists in the city and the level of impunity and the complicity of authorities and politicians with organized crime.

The armed group led by municipal commissioners acts as a “Community Guard” of the towns of El Jagüey, San Ángel, Ayahualulco and Ciloxuchicán, however, official reports report that it is the armed group of another criminal group called “Los Ardillos”, led by the brothers of the president of the Congress, the local PRD representative Bernardo Ortega Jiménez.

Yesterday around 17:30 hours, approximately 300 masked civilians armed with shotguns stormed and took control of the entrances and exits of the municipal capital of Chilapa where the Federal Police Gendarmerie and the Mexican Army took control of the security against the brutal dispute between “Los Rojos” and “Los Ardillos” for this strategic plaza located between the regions Centro and Montaña.

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