A pattern of intimidation against the municipal government of Celaya
The municipal president of Celaya, Juan Miguel Ramírez Sánchez, affiliated with the Morena party, has made public some serious accusations concerning his personal safety and that of his team of collaborators. According to their statements, collected in a collective interview, approximately two months ago an act of direct intimidation was perpetrated by leaving ballistic projectiles at their residence. This incident is not isolated, but is part of a series of systematic pressures and threats that he has experienced throughout his almost eleven months at the head of the local administration.
The phenomenon of intimidation extends beyond the figure of the mayor. Ramírez Sánchez explained that key members of his cabinet have also been subject to similar actions, finding ammunition in their official vehicles. Specifically, he mentioned the Director of Inspection, Eduardo Griss Kauffman, and the Director of Urban Development, Luis Martín González Guzmán, as some of the officials who have received this macabre message. This method of coercion, using bullets as a symbol of threat, is a documented tactic used by criminal groups to instill fear and demand concessions without the need for direct confrontation.
Background and context of the threats
The security situation for public servants in Celaya is not a new issue. The councilor recalled that, from the moment he made the decision to run for office, he was aware that he would face numerous challenges and problems of great magnitude. However, the persistence and audacious nature of the threats underscore the complexity of the security environment in the region. A crucial precedent occurred on November 22, 2024, when the mayor reported having received explicit threats from organized crime structures. The central demand of these groups, according to their testimony, was the control of various strategic directions within the municipal Public Security area, which would show an attempt to take over institutions and co-opt the functions of the State.
An aspect that raises deep questions is the decision not to present a formal complaint to the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Guanajuato. When questioned about this, Ramírez Sánchez raised a pragmatic doubt: “I can file it (the complaint), but who do we accuse of putting the bullets on us?” This reflection highlights one of the biggest obstacles in the fight against organized crime: the difficulty in identifying and prosecuting the intellectual authors of these actions, who usually operate from the shadows. Instead of the ordinary judicial route, the municipal administration chose to request direct support from the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), which responded by reinforcing the security device with elements of the National Guard, increasing the number of troops after the June incident.
Interests at stake and the administration’s position
The mayor was cautious when it came to pointing out a single person responsible for the threats. He suggested that these could be attributed to criminal groups operating in the territory, but also hinted at the possibility that other actors with “many interests” could be involved. This calculated ambiguity reflects the intricate web of power in which local politics unfolds, where economic, legal and illegal interests often intertwine. As an example of the actions that could have triggered these reactions, he cited the recent operation to dismantle semi-fixed posts established irregularly on the sidewalk of Antonio Plaza Street, in the vicinity of the city’s Bus Station. These interventions, although they seek order and legality, usually affect money flows and territorial control dynamics.
Faced with this panorama of pressure, the official position of the municipal president is one of unbreakable resistance. He assured that he was determined to face the problems and continue implementing what he considers “positive actions for the development of Celaya.” He affirmed that his government will always be willing to agree with whoever is right within the framework of the law and dialogue, but made it clear that he will not give in or accept pressure of any kind that compromises the autonomy of his administration or the security of citizens. This firmness, although it exposes it to greater risk, seeks to establish a precedent of authority and institutional resilience in a context marked by violence.
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