On the past Monday, October 28, in Michoacán, two violent acts were reported that shocked the region. Lizbeth Romero Tafolla, the director of Public Security of Angamacutiro, and Aurelio Santos Contreras, former mayor of Cotija, were killed in separate events. The state prosecutor's office confirmed both tragedies, and the municipality issued a statement expressing condolences to the families and highlighting the service and dedication of the victims.
In Cotija, a municipality facing a delicate security situation, the current mayor, Juan Pablo Aguilar Barragán, requested a two-month leave following alleged threats from organized crime. The history of violence in the area dates back to last June when the then mayor, Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa, was murdered outside a gym. These incidents have highlighted the vulnerability of local officials to unleashed violence.
Aurelio Santos Contreras was shot dead on Campestre Street in the Corrales neighborhood. The lack of progress in investigations and prevailing impunity in both cases create additional tension in the region. Organized crime, allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has instilled terror in Michoacán with violent actions like these, severely affecting society and local institutions.
