Town in Mexico thanks fugitive cartel leader "El Mencho" for children's holiday gifts, sparking investigation
Mexico's president said Monday that prosecutors are investigating officials in a town where a sign was posted thanking a drug lord — who has a $15 million bounty on his head in the U.S. — for holiday season gifts for children.
In the past, drug cartels in Mexico have often handed out gifts or bags of food to local people around the holidays, to try to improve their image or build local support. The cartels often want local people to warn them of army raids, but at the same time the gangs usually extort protection money from local residents.
Videos posted on social media last week from the town of Coalcoman, in the western state of Michoacan, showed a sign at a Christmas fair thanking Jalisco cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera -- better known by his nickname "El Mencho" -- for the gifts.
"The children of Coalcoman thank Mr. Nemesio Oseguera and his sons, 2, 3, and Delta 1, for their noble gesture. Thank for your gifts," the sign read.
A person speaking over a loudspeaker repeated that message, but it was unclear how much local officials were involved in or aware of the message, or whether they had approved of it. Such fairs are often in part organized by civic, neighborhood or other groups.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that local officials were being investigated for any possible links to the sign.
"Obviously we condemn these signs," she said. "A criminal group cannot hold a public event to promote the acceptance of violence."
Sheinbaum said federal prosecutors were investigating whether the town's mayor "has ties to criminal groups, or who put this this sign up."
"El Mencho" has also been indicted in the United States and the State Department just this month increased a reward to $15 million for his capture. Last month, the cartel leader's son-in-law was arrested in California after U.S. officials say he faked his own death to "live a life of luxury" north of the border.
In areas of Michoacan along the border with Michoacan that are dominated by the powerful Jalisco cartel, it is not unusual to see signs of the gang's control.
The cartel set up checkpoints on roads in the area, and attacked their rivals with roadside bombs and bomb-dropping drones, while at the same time donating trampolines for the children of local residents. The cartels have also obliged some local residents to join demonstrations against army operations.
The Mexican government's policy of not confronting the cartels has often left local officials in the uncomfortable position of having to deal with the local gangs, and even in some cases, hand over part of the municipal budget to them.
Sometimes local officials are even implicated In murders. Just last month, former prosecutor and local police official Germán Reyes was arrested in connection with the grisly decapitation of a mayor on Oct. 6. The implication was that Reyes - who was also a former military officer who, according to his official resume, retired with rank of captain in the military justice system - had somehow worked in collusion with a gang.
