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List of politicians killed in the Mexican drug war
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This is a list of politicians murdered in the Mexican drug war. Since the start of the military-led offensive by the Mexican government in 2006, the drug trafficking organizations have slaughtered their rivals, killed policemen and now increasingly targeted politicians – especially local leaders.[1] Most of the places where these politicians have been killed are areas plagued by drug-related violence.[1] Part of the strategy used by the criminal groups behind the killings of local figures is the weakening of the local governments.[1]
Extreme violence puts politicians at the mercy of the mafias, and thus allowing the cartels to take control of the fundamental government structures and expand their criminal agendas.[1] In addition, because mayors usually appoint local police chiefs, they are seen by the cartels as key assets in their criminal activities to control the police forces in their areas of influence.[2] The cartels also seek to control the local governments to win government contracts and concessions; these "public works" help them ingrain themselves in the community and gain the loyalty and respect of the communities in which they operate.[2]
Currently, the criminal organizations in Mexico earn a substantial amount of money from extortion and retail drug sales, known in Spanish as "narco-menudeo."[3] Unlike the transnational drug trade, which can be carried out without the aid and protection of authorities, local police forces are more likely to be aware of the local extortions and drug sales. Hence, government tolerance – and at times, government collusion – is necessary for the cartels to operate.[3]
Politicians are usually targeted for three reasons: (1) Political figures who are honest pose a direct threat to organized crime, and are consequently killed by the cartels; (2) Politicians make arrangements to protect a certain cartel and are killed by a rival cartel; and (3) a cartel simply kills politicians to heat up the turf of the rival cartel that operates in the area.[4]
Another issue behind the assassination of politicians is that Mexico is more democratic than how it used to be a couple of decades ago, when the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) ruled Mexico uninterruptedly for more than six decades. Today, the criminals groups have to deal with three major political parties, posing challenges to the long-relationships the cartels had during the past regime.[3] Drug-related assassinations are not solely limited to local and low-profile politicians.[2] As demonstrated with the killing of Rodolfo Torre Cantú in June 2010, a candidate for the PRI who was running for the state government of Tamaulipas, drug lords are interfering with Mexico's election process.[5]
88 politicians or candidates were killed between September 2020 and the June 2021 Mexican legislative election.[6]
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Notes
- A municipal president is comparable to a mayor of a town or city.
- A deputy is a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico.
- Politicians who are reported as "disappeared" are included in the list with a note in References box.
Presidency of Felipe Calderon
Presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto
Presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum
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Notes
- Guajardo Anzaldúa was municipal president for PAN (1993-1995) and later for PT (2002-2003); Federal deputy for PRD (1996-2000) and PT (2004-2006); and Senator for Tamaulipas for the PRD (1994).
- Angulo Torres was kidnapped with his brother at a restaurant on 4 June 2008. His body has not been found and he is not reported as dead.
- Compromise for Puebla (Compromiso por Puebla) was a coalition party made up of the PAN, PRI, PRD, PANAL, and Convergence.
- Jiménez Baños is also referred to as Artemio Tomás.
- José Felipe García was kidnapped by gunmen on 16 October 2010 and is currently disappeared. Officially, he had not been reported dead.
- Guardado Méndez was abducted on 4 February 2011 and is currently disappeared. He is not reported as dead.
- Ocampo Ortiz was kidnapped on 9 February 2011 and has not been found. He is not reported as dead.
- Valdez Llanos was intercepted by gunmen and has not been found. He is not reported as dead.
- López Vázquez was forced out of his vehicle and kidnapped while he headed to his ranch. He has not been found.
- Seven gunmen kidnapped García Delgado outside a hardware store. His wife tried to impide his abduction and was beaten.
- Cartel members broke into Galván's house and kidnapped him. He remains disappeared.
- Peña was abducted on 25 July 2010. Nonetheless, his body was found inside a clandestine mass grave on 16 March 2012.
- Ariza Bibiano was forced out of his domicile by armed men. They never called back for ransom.
- Torralba Mejía was kidnapped by armed men after they intercepted his vehicle. He is currently disappeared.
- Pérez Rodríguez disappeared in Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas with four family members. Nothing is known of their whereabouts.
- Four people were killed and 12 injured.
- The mayor received death threats in January. He and a gangster were killed; two police officers were injured.
- Vallejo's husband and driver were also killed.
- Orencio Bello's stepson was also murdered.
- Missing since 19 September 2019; body found 28 October
- His wife was also seriously injured in the attack.
- Four other members of his family were also killed.
- Kidnapped 29 April 2020, body found 3 June.
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