Federal government backs Juchitán municipal takeover
Original reporting: El País México
What happened
El País México reported that Oaxaca Gov. Salomón Jara’s decision to dissolve Juchitán’s municipal government received federal backing after Mayor Miguel Ángel Altamirano was arrested over alleged organized-crime ties. The state Congress approved the move unanimously and an interim commissioner was named.
Reporting and context
Mexico’s federal government backed Oaxaca Gov. Salomón Jara’s decision to dissolve the municipal government in Juchitán de Zaragoza and install an interim administration after the arrest of Mayor Miguel Ángel Altamirano, El País México reported. Rosa Icela Rodríguez, secretary of the interior, said the move was intended to contribute to the municipality’s governability and stability.
According to El País, Rodríguez endorsed journalist Francisco Vázquez Jiménez as the provisional municipal commissioner and called on the new administration to preserve peace for local families. Jara asked Oaxaca’s Congress on Friday to approve the takeover, and lawmakers approved the proposal unanimously eight hours later. The action followed Altamirano’s arrest on Thursday over alleged links to organized crime operating in the state.
Authorities have accused Altamirano, known locally as Quetu, of ties to Los Cromos, a group officials associate with extortion and collection of protection payments, retail drug dealing, human trafficking and homicide. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said the mayor was a key figure in the group’s circle of trust and allegedly helped protect its operations. Those claims have not been established in court.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said the Interior Ministry had coordinated with Jara and denied that the operation was connected to a recent shooting at the home of artisan Elvis Guerra. She said the investigation into Altamirano had lasted months and that there would be zero impunity for corruption or links to criminal organizations, regardless of political affiliation.