A crime that, for a change, takes none of us by surprise
It seems that in the vibrant and always peaceful state of Michoacán, the afternoon of November 2 had a special touch of horror. The Security Cabinet of the Mexican government, those mystical beings that usually appear after the fact, confirmed with their usual punctuality what we all already knew: the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, was conveniently assassinated. The direct attack, a modality as subtle as an elephant in a china shop, occurred in the heart of the city. For this crime, they added with a touch of efficiency that left us all speechless, two people were detained and, oh, surprise, one of the aggressors also lost his life. Because nothing solves a homicide like another homicide, right?
The authorities, in a statement that exudes that bureaucratic warmth that characterizes us so much, declared: “As a result of an aggression that occurred this afternoon in the center of Uruapan, Michoacán, where municipal president Carlos Manzo unfortunately lost his life, two people involved in the events were arrested and one of the aggressors lost his life.” “Unfortunately”. What an accurate and poignant word to describe an elected public official being gunned down. One almost expects them to add “we apologize for the inconvenience caused.”
The security circus is set up immediately
To calm things down, or perhaps just to justify their budgets, the authorities of the government of Michoacán and the happy Security Cabinet were quick to announce that they are guarding the area and maintaining the supervision patrols. Because nothing says “we’re in control” like having to send reinforcements *after* a mayor has been killed. Its divine mission is, supposedly, to guarantee the security of the population. The same population that, meanwhile, wonders if it wouldn’t be easier to guarantee security *before* the attacks. But that, of course, is asking for pears from the elm tree.
And as in any self-respecting tragedy, the catchphrase could not be missing, the catchy slogan. The Security Cabinet, with a solemnity that takes your breath away, asserted: “This crime will not go unpunished.” Take it now! That is the kind of forceful statement that can only emerge when impunity is the lord and master of the country. It’s like promising that the sun will rise tomorrow, but with less certainty. One imagines the criminals listening to the announcement and shaking with fear… with laughter.
Political violence in Mexico, especially in states like Michoacán, has become a landscape as common as avocado for breakfast. Drug violence and insecurity run rampant, making the lives of local officials a high-risk position, almost at the level of being a bullfighter with an allergy to the color red. This homicide is not an isolated event; It is one more chapter in a macabre serial that no one seems to have the will or the ability to cancel. The subsequent arrests are the usual warm water washcloth, the necessary gesture to pretend that the machinery of justice, although rusty and with a seized engine, still works. Meanwhile, the population of Uruapan and the rest of the country attends, stunned and tired, this spectacle of terror and empty promises.
Do you share this news to make the critical security situation visible? Spread it on your social networks and explore more content related to national news.
