Mexico demands equity in new T-MEC rules

Sheinbaum: local security is the responsibility of states and municipalities

During her morning conference in Cuernavaca, President Claudia Sheinbaum was questioned about municipalities in Morelos where only four police officers serve the entire population. His response was direct: governors and municipal presidents must assume their part.

“Even with the entire National Guard, the governors have the responsibility of strengthening the state police. We need trained, trained, clean police,” he responded.

Sheinbaum recalled that municipal autonomy is in the 1917 Constitution. The federal government has strengthened the National Guard – today with 120 thousand elements and plans to add 10 thousand – but it cannot replace the local police forces.

“There are municipalities with excellent police officers. Others do not have enough resources, but even with the few they have, they must guarantee that they are clean and do local work,” he explained.

Regarding the arrest of mayors in Morelos – such as Jesús Corona Damián (Cuautla) and Agustín Toledano Amaro (Atlatlahucan) within the framework of Operation Enjambre -, Sheinbaum indicated that they only intervene when there are complaints and evidence.

“We cannot investigate all the municipal presidents. Where there is a citizen complaint or evidence, investigation files are opened and we proceed with a judge’s order,” he said.

Governor Margarita González Saravia reported that the seventh regional security meeting was held with Querétaro, Hidalgo, the State of Mexico, Mexico City, Puebla and Guerrero. He highlighted the coordination between the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, prosecutors and security secretaries.

“A strategy is made for crime. This has allowed us to lower crime rates and achieve important arrests, such as car theft, following up on gangs that operate in several states,” he mentioned.

The president reiterated that her government works at all levels: municipal, state and federal, but without replacing local responsibilities.

A two-year-old minor died in the municipality of Matamoros, Coahuila, in a case that the Prosecutor’s Office is investigating as alleged feminicide. The 22-year-old stepfather is detained as the probable perpetrator.

On Thursday afternoon, the man took the girl to the Red Cross claiming that she had a fever. When examining her, the medical staff detected multiple blows and signs of violence on her body. The minor no longer had vital signs.

The Coahuila Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the cause of death was due to violent acts. So far it has not been specified when the injuries occurred. The authorities opened the investigation file for femicide.

In addition, they are investigating whether other people could have been involved or if close relatives were omitted. The process is still ongoing under reservation.

Attorney General’s Office takes on the case

Omar García Harfuch, head of the SSPC, confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) opened the investigation into the murder of journalist Alejandro Leyva, which occurred in Oaxaca. The announcement was made during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning conference in Cuernavaca, Morelos.

“This homicide has already been reported in its entirety by the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and it is a case that we are going to work on, the Security Cabinet with the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic, it is already a federal investigation,” declared García Harfuch.

When asked if there is a government line of investigation, the official responded that the case is in the initial stages, but stressed that the federation has already taken over the investigation.

Meeting with family

President Sheinbaum reported that the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, will hold a meeting with relatives of the deceased journalist, as well as with colleagues from Oaxaca who demand justice.

“We will have this meeting with the family of the deceased journalist, also with some journalists who have asked us for a meeting with the demand that the homicide not go unpunished,” said Rodríguez, who guaranteed that there will be no impunity.

The investigation, led by the FGR, reflects the federal government’s commitment to clarifying the crime, although details about the progress have not yet been revealed.