Justice in Mexico

Nuevo León Officials Under Investigation for Disappearance of Governor’s Bodyguards

06/16/11 – Pedro Muñoz, the secretary of public security of Zuazua, which is a municipality in the outskirts of Monterrey, Nuevo León, stated that 22 police officers and 4 transit agents have been detained with a possible connection to the murder of two bodyguards working for Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Medina. The State Agency of Investigation (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, AEI) gave little details on the detainment and made no official statement connecting the arrests to the murders, although some sources are indicating otherwise.

Reports state that two of Medina’s bodyguards, José Antonio Cerda and Juan Manuel García Garza, were found dead on Wednesday near a supermarket in Monterrey. A note found attached to the two bodies blamed the bodyguards for stealing money from the Zetas cartel and threatened the governor with more violence. In response, “Medina said the threats would not stop his determination to beat organized crime,” reported BBC News.

The discovery of the two bodies came within a 24-hour period when 31 other bodies were also found in the Monterrey area. The capital of Nuevo León, Monterrey has seen a large increase in violence recently. Nuevo León is the stronghold of the Zetas, one of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels, which is now battling the Gulf, Sinaloa, and La Familia cartels for control of the lucrative trafficking routes leading to the United States.

Sources:

“Gunmen kill Mexican governor’s guards, leave threat.” Reuters. June 15, 2011.

“Gang warfare kills 33 in Monterrey, Mexico.” BBC. June 16, 2011.

“Detienen a 26 elementos de Zuazua, NL; los relacionan con muerte de escoltas.” Milenio. June 16, 2011.

“Detienen a 26 policías por ola de violencia en NL.” El Universal. June 16, 2011.

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