Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas: Armed Criminal Cell Overruns City Hall

 “ Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat

Organized crime took, for several hours, total control of the municipality of Monte Escobedo.

Armed subjects tried to seize the mayor’s office, which is now protected by the National Guard (GN), despite the fact that there is no service of any kind.

The inhabitants of the southwestern municipality of Zacatecas assured that several armed men arrived at the Comandancia, located in the Municipal Presidency, where they said that they would be the new “policemen.”

In addition, they informed the mayor, Ramiro Sánchez Mercado, that they would be in charge of Civil Protection and in general, that the municipality would be protected by them.

However, an anonymous call alerted the authorities and, hours later, the  Mexican Army arrived at Monte Escobedo. Upon learning of the arrival of the agents, the armed subjects fled.

No service

As a result of this , City Council workers suspended their work for two weeks, as they fear that these men will return and retaliate.

This is due to the fact that during the seizure of the facilities, they collected confidential information from the employees of the Municipal Presidency.

Likewise, sources close to the investigation assure that the mayor, Ramiro Sánchez Mercado, fled the municipality and his whereabouts are unknown at this time. He is being protected by the authorities.

His family also had to leave the municipality; they fear for the life of the mayor and those around him, because the armed subjects did not achieve their mission.

Also, several City Council officials left the municipality, they fear losing their lives, as members of organized crime have taken over the region.

So far the National Guard agents are stationed at the Municipal Presidency, despite the fact that there is no one inside the building and there are no services.

The Telegraph office remains open, although it’s in another area of ​​the City Hall building.

It is worth mentioning and saying of the inhabitants, the Secretary of Government, Eloy Del Real Ruvalcaba, is sometimes available and in others he is unavailable. 

They ransack homes

Members of an organized crime group took advantage of the fact that municipality workers left the municipality to loot homes.

For this reason, the inhabitants live in fear that there will be a confrontation between the authorities and the gunmen; Well, apparently the criminals are using the municipality as a hideout.

Monte Escobedo is experiencing the worst security crisis in its history, a stage that began after the murder of the only element of the Public Security Directorate and since then it has no Municipal Police, nor a mayor in charge.

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