The arrest of the mayor of Teuchitlán marks the first official involvement in a high-profile case linked with an organized crime syndicate. The mayor stands accused of partnering with a notorious cartel. The findings revolve around the Izaguirre ranch, based in a small village near Guadalajara, which reportedly served as a recruitment and training ground for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Last week, Attorney General Alejandro Gertz indicated that this ranch was a premise recently used by the notorious cartel. The mayor in question, José Asunción Murguía Santiago, has been charged due to his alleged connections with one of Mexico’s most violent criminal organizations. Running a recruitment and training center, which came to light in March, are among the charges made against him.
At a hearing held last Friday, prosecutors charged Mr. Murguía Santiago with engaging in organized crime activities and forced disappearance. In the small town of Teuchitlán, situated outside Guadalajara, a site tied to Jalisco’s actions sparked national concern due to the numerous pairs of shoes, mounds of clothing, and potential human bone fragments discovered on an abandoned ranch.
Despite initial suggestions that the ranch was a site for human cremations, official entities have announced that there is no evidence to support these claims. The charges against the mayor echo past instances of Mexican authorities colluding with organized crime syndicates. These allegations come at a time when President Trump is proposing a robust response to the cartels by deploying American troops.
The Mexican president has rejected Trump’s proposal outright. Attorney General Alejandro Gertz reiterated his previous assertions about the Izaguirre ranch’s recent use as a facility for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Furthermore, he suggested that the cartel used counterfeit job offers to lure unsuspecting individuals onto the ranch.
Gertz, however, departed from earlier statements, vehemently denying any proof of cremations taking place on the property. Voluntary groups publicly disagreed with these federal findings, standing firm on their claim that 17 sets of burnt human remains have been discovered on the ranch.
The Attorney General admitted ignorance regarding the exact number of people who might have disappeared at the ranch, pledging determination towards uncovering the facts and holding all complicit individuals accountable. The cloud of mystery surrounding the ranch has reignited national attention towards the ongoing issue of disappearances in Mexico.
Over 127,000 individuals have been reported missing since the 1960s, an issue that continues to be a sore point for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. Government data indicates that around 8,700 people have vanished since Sheinbaum’s term began in October. Despite her efforts to combat cartel activities, the pattern of Mexican officials and narcotic syndicates collaborating remains unbroken.
A total of more than a dozen individuals have been taken into custody in relation to the Teuchitlán case, including the local police chief, four former officers, and a cartel leader known as José Gregorio Lastra. Allegedly, Lastra was in charge of the notorious recruitment center.
Lastra’s account reveals ghastly details; those who opposed training or tried to escape from the ranch were subjected to brutal killings, beatings, and torture. The arrest of Mr. Murguía Santiago, serving a third mayoral term, is the first official detainment in this case, shedding light on the intricate web spun by organized crime with local authorities.
Experts believe the arrest on May 3rd exposes the interwoven relationship between drug cartels and local municipalities. ‘You either resist the encroaching influence of organized crime and pay a monumental price or you cave in and collaborate,’ says David Mora, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
During a court hearing, details of the actions against the mayor were brought to light. Allegedly, Santiago visited the ranch multiple times in 2024 and was on the cartel’s payroll. In exchange for his acquiescence, the mayor purportedly facilitated the cartel’s operations and used municipal police for surveillance to prevent recruits from escaping.
Federal prosecutor Víctor Manuel Guajardo expressed his disbelief during the hearing. ‘It’s disheartening to learn that an entrusted authority is part of this malevolent organization. The mayor facilitated this criminal network’s expansion,’ he stated. Notably, Mr. Murguía Santiago has declined to testify thus far.
Instead, the mayor’s defense team called upon a key witness – his secretary – who claimed that the mayor could not have visited the ranch during the speculated timeline as she was often in his company. However, she admitted to occasionally losing sight of him in the afternoons.
In an interview in March, Santiago denied knowledge of the activities at the ranch. ‘I am not concerned. We are not part of any illicit activities. As the mayor, my primary goal has always been to help the people,’ he stated. Meanwhile, escalating tensions persist between the U.S. and Mexico over the cartel issue.
Under Donald Trump’s administration, the Mexican government faces accusations of being under cartel’s influence. This assertion has led to a proposal of U.S. forces intervention in tackling the grand scale of narcotic production and trafficking. However, this has sparked conflict with the Mexican government, which sees this as a violation of its sovereignty and a serious setback for bilateral relations.