The mayor of Tapalpa, Antonio Morales, assured that the municipality in Jalisco is “calmer” and “more at peace” following the operation last Sunday that resulted in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes “El Mencho”, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
“Now the town observes with more tranquility, with more calm, little by little returning to normality and I am very pleased that our town, our municipality is coming back to life,” said the official in a video published on social networks on Wednesday.
The mayor also denied having been aware of the military operation in the municipality, where the CJNG leader was in one of his exclusive residential areas, which led to a violent confrontation between the military and cartel members with long-barreled weapons and rocket launchers.
In addition, he criticized the information disseminated by some media that he classified as “yellow journalism” and that, he said, damages the image of the municipality.
Morales highlighted the appeal of Tapalpa, with about 20,000 inhabitants, 130 kilometers south of Guadalajara, capital of Jalisco.
“People who know our destination know perfectly well that our destination is a quiet, calm place, and that these events that occurred are isolated incidents,” he stated.
Tapalpa, a very well-known tourist destination, is one of Mexico's "Magical Towns", a federal government program to highlight the cultural wealth of several localities.
In the center of the town and its surroundings, normality was confirmed with businesses open. The access highway is now completely clear of the burned-out vehicles that had obstructed passage in previous days following the clashes.
The governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus, announced on Tuesday the lifting of the "red code" that had been in effect for three days in the state, the epicenter of the wave of violence that shook the country after the operation against "El Mencho", and on Wednesday educational activities resumed and offices and businesses reopened their doors.
The Mexican government reported that the clashes on Sunday left 25 members of the National Guard and more than 30 CJNG members dead.
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho", 59 years old, was one of the most wanted criminals by Mexican and US authorities, with a million-dollar reward for information leading to his capture.
Washington, which collaborated in the operation by providing intelligence information on his location to Mexican forces, accused him of leading a "reign of terror" in Mexico and destroying "countless lives" with fentanyl trafficking.
Under his command, the CJNG expanded its presence in Mexico and strengthened drug trafficking routes, including fentanyl to the United States, which placed him among the most wanted drug traffickers by both countries.
(With information from EFE)
