The Wixárika community of Tuxpan de Bolaños in Jalisco will seek to adopt an autonomous government model, becoming the first to achieve this in the 222 years of the state's history. This will be possible thanks to a consultation that will be carried out by the Electoral Institute and Citizen Participation (IEPC) on May 18, 2025. In this consultation, the neighbors will decide if they want to adopt a self-government system without participation from political parties.
With the implementation of an autonomous government, the Wixárika community seeks to leave behind the administration of political parties and adopt a system that responds to their customs, needs, and traditions. If the initiative is approved, elections will be held in 2027 based on indigenous self-government systems.
The population of Bolaños consists of just over 7,000 inhabitants, with 70% being Wixárika and the remaining 30% being mestizo. This is not the first time the Wixárika community seeks to disconnect from political parties in the administration of the municipality, as this demand has been made since 2020.
In August 2024, the governor of Bolaños and his campaign leader were found dead after advocating for an autonomous government in the municipality. This incident raised suspicions about the influence of organized crime in the region, which has maintained control for several years.
Óscar Ukeme Bautista Muñoz, Wixárika representative and coordinator of the Commission on Free Determination and Autonomy, highlighted the opportunity they have to decide their form of government. He noted that the community has analyzed and reflected on this decision since 2020, recalling that they did not participate in previous elections.
Indigenous normative systems are constitutionally recognized as a form of government. Municipalities like Cherán in Michoacán have managed to expel the influence of organized crime linked to political parties. In other states like Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Chiapas, there are also autonomous municipalities.
