Mexico’s President announced on Monday that authorities are conducting an investigation into officials in a town where a sign expressing gratitude to a drug lord for providing holiday season gifts for children was displayed. It has been a common practice for drug cartels in Mexico to distribute gifts or food parcels to local residents during the holiday season as a means to bolster their public image or garner support within the community. These cartels often seek information from locals regarding impending army operations, while simultaneously engaging in extortion activities by demanding protection money from the same residents.
Footage circulated on social media last week from the town of Coalcoman, located in the western state of Michoacan, depicted a sign at a Christmas fair acknowledging Jalisco cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known by his alias “El Mencho,” for the gifts provided. The sign read, “The children of Coalcoman express their gratitude to Mr. Nemesio Oseguera and his sons, 2, 3, and Delta 1, for their benevolent gesture. Thank you for your generosity.” A person speaking over a loudspeaker reiterated this message, although it remains unclear to what extent local officials were complicit in or aware of the display, or whether they had authorized it. Such events are typically organized in collaboration with civic, neighborhood, or other community groups.
President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Monday that local officials are under scrutiny for potential ties to the sign. “We unequivocally denounce these displays,” she remarked. “A criminal organization should not be allowed to host public events promoting violence.” Sheinbaum further disclosed that federal prosecutors are delving into whether the town’s mayor “maintains affiliations with criminal entities, or was responsible for erecting this sign.”
In regions of Michoacan bordering Jalisco cartel strongholds, the group’s influence is visibly apparent. Checkpoints manned by the cartel are commonplace along roadways in the area, and they have been known to launch attacks against rival factions using roadside explosives and bomb-laden drones. Concurrently, the cartel has been observed donating recreational equipment such as trampolines to children in local communities. Furthermore, some residents have been coerced into participating in anti-military demonstrations orchestrated by the cartels.
The Mexican government’s policy of non-confrontation with criminal organizations has frequently placed local officials in precarious positions, compelling them to negotiate with these groups and, in some instances, allocate a portion of the municipal budget to them.
