The circus of justice in Michoacán offers a show of horror and absurdity
Ah, Mexican justice. That beacon of efficiency and transparency that illuminates us with pearls like the one that summons us today. It turns out that in the initial hearing against the eight involved in the murder of the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) has given us a narrative gem worthy of a Tarantino script, but with less glamor and more corruption. Because, in a twist that no one saw coming (lie, we all saw it coming), it was determined that the director of the Municipal Police, Demetrio “N”, was the hero of this story. His feat? Shooting the 17-year-old boy who murdered the mayor… when the boy was already, oh, coincidence, subdued and unarmed. Nothing like a little express justice to start the day.
According to the expert videos presented – because now we even have high-definition evidence of our miseries –, the brave director took the gun from the ground and, with enviable aim, fired the weapon directly against the minor. The shot, fired less than 30 centimeters into the chest of the perpetrator, occurred no more than 13 seconds after the young man fired six shots at Manzo. Of course, thirteen seconds is a long time to think about the consequences, but very little time to resist the temptation to mete out an “exemplary punishment” in the old west style. Who needs a trial when you have a gun and a bad idea?
To round off the function, it was also evident that a paramedic, a witness to this extrajudicial execution, revealed that, after the fatal shooting, the bodyguards prevented him from providing first aid and, where appropriate, resuscitation. Because, clearly, the last thing this situation needed was an ounce of humanity. These were just some of the “elements” presented by the Michoacán prosecutor’s office in a hearing that began at 5 in the morning and lasted almost 8 hours. The Control Judge, probably exhausted from so many ethics in one place, ordered unofficial preventive detention to the eight defendants. But the real suspense – will they be linked to the process? – we will solve it next Wednesday. Stay tuned.
A crime with a bargain price and a bodyguard who opted for the escape plan
Sources from the prosecution, those anonymous voices that always know more than official statements, indicated that the murder of Manzo was ordered by leaders of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Michoacán. The magnanimous bosses offered the modest payment of 2 million pesos for the armed attack against the independent mayor. A bargain, considering the price of meat today. In the statements of the eight involved, central figures of the cartel were mentioned such as Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, and Raúl Álvarez Ayala, alias “El R1”. According to the story, the latter maintained communication with the three young hitmen who carried out the execution. An operation so well coordinated that it even gives a little corporate envy.
Meanwhile, the governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, contributed his dose of comedy by announcing that an escort of the mayor is a fugitive. Because what would a high-profile crime be without at least one character making the run of the century? “Yesterday seven (escorts) were detained, one was not detained, that is, he is a fugitive, but seven were detained,” he stated with that crystal clear clarity that characterizes us. The governor, in a burst of optimism, described as “very correct” what the prosecutor’s office and the Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, are doing. Of course, stopping seven of the eight and letting the eighth disappear is, without a doubt, an impeccable security strategy.
To close with a flourish, he explained that they are also investigating elements of the National Guard who protected Manzo, although he clarified that they always made a “second circle.” Because in the upside-down world of public security, the mayor’s closest circle was made up of those who allegedly facilitated or participated in his murder, while the National Guard watched from the sidelines. A perfect metaphor for the fight against organized crime in this country: everyone watching, no one acting on time, and when they act, they do it with the subtlety of an elephant in a china shop.
Are you surprised by this escalation of absurd violence? Share this article on your social networks so that more people know the murky details of this case and explore our site for more analysis on the harsh reality of security in Mexico.
