By Allan Wall
On Oct. 1, Alejandro Arcos Catalan became the mayor of Chilpancingo, capital of Guerrero state. It’s a city plagued by two rival drug gangs: the Ardillos and the Tlacos.
On Oct. 6, the new Mayor Arcos was found decapitated, his head atop a vehicle, with his body on the front passenger seat.
As reported by InSight Crime, "In his first public address, Arcos pledged not to make any pacts with criminal groups and to guarantee peace and security in Chilpancingo, which may have put him in the crosshairs of the region’s powerbrokers. ‘Security requires everyone’s commitment,’ he said after becoming mayor. ‘I call on the three levels of government, businessmen, civil society, and the families of Chilpancingo. I ask you, with my heart in my hand: help me fight and build peace, the peace that we all need.’ "
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On Oct. 10, Gustavo Alarcon took office as the new mayor of Chilpancingo. (Alarcon, a doctor, had been elected in June as the alternate of Arcos.)
How would you feel if you were in Alarcon’s place? You’re replacing the former mayor who was decapitated, and the perpetrators haven’t been arrested.
It’s morbidly reminiscent of a scene in The Empire Strikes Back, one of the Star Wars movies. Darth Vader chokes Admiral Ozzel to death while immediately designating Captain Piett, standing next to the dying admiral, as the new admiral.
But what’s going on in Chilpancingo is reality, not a movie.
As of Oct. 11, Mayor Alarcon said that he hadn’t been threatened or contacted by the criminal groups and also said he was under the protection of 14 National Guardsmen and 7 Guerrero State officers.
The Mexican federal government has deployed 240 National Guardsmen to the city of Chilpancingo.
My condolences to the family of deceased Mayor Arcos and may the new Mayor Alarcon be kept safe.
Allan Wall is publisher of Mexico News Report.
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