By Edith Loyola 
A large-scale coordinated operation between state and federal authorities, known as “Enjambre,” resulted in the arrest of eight public officials in the State of Mexico, including the mayor of Amanalco, María Elena “N.” This extensive deployment aims to combat corruption and the ties between municipal officials and organized crime, according to the State of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGJEM).
According to Omar García Harfuch, head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the operation mobilized over 1,500 personnel from institutions such as the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), the Navy (Semar), the National Guard, and the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). This coordinated effort successfully detained high-ranking security officials and municipal authorities.
“In a coordinated and simultaneous effort, seven public officials from various municipalities in the State of Mexico were detained for allegedly facilitating the activities of criminal groups operating in the region,” García Harfuch stated on social media.
En una acción coordinada y simultánea, encabezada por la @FiscaliaEdomex y el Gabinete de Seguridad del Gobierno de México, @SEDENAmx, @SEMAR_mx, @FGRMexico, @SSPCMexico, a través del CNI y 1,500 elementos desplegados, hasta el momento se han detenido a 7 servidores públicos de… pic.twitter.com/EG8xlGMVNT
— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) November 22, 2024
Among those arrested were Eraclio “N,” director of security in Tejupilco; Omar “N,” deputy director in Naucalpan; Rodolfo “N,” director of security in Ixtapaluca; Armando “N,” director in Amanalco; Roberto “N,” regional security chief in Ixtapaluca, and Ellery Guadalupe “N,” director of the DIF System in Tonatico. These officials face accusations of actively collaborating with criminal organizations operating in their jurisdictions.
The FGJEM emphasized that the operation was part of a simultaneous and well-coordinated effort, enabling the capture of the suspects with minimal complications. However, one of the most critical incidents occurred in Texcaltitlán, where Isidro “N,” director of Citizen Security, avoided arrest by taking his own life.
“When he was informed of the judicial warrant, he drew his firearm and took his own life,” the FGJEM detailed in a statement, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Additionally, it was reported that pending arrest warrants include those of the mayors of Tonatico, Marlem “N,” and Santo Tomás de Los Plátanos, María “N,” as well as the heads of public security in municipalities such as Coacalco, Chicoloapan, and Jilotzingo. This underscores the depth of the issue and the extent of organized crime’s infiltration into local governments.
The political impact of these arrests is significant, as many of the affected municipalities now face a leadership vacuum and administrative crisis. Consequently, additional efforts will be required by the authorities to ensure stability in these regions.