Tequila's mayor arrested over alleged ties to Mexico's most powerful cartel

Diego Rivera Navarro, the mayor of Tequila in Jalisco, has been arrested on suspicion of links to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Authorities also detained three other local officials in the same operation. The group faces accusations of running extortion schemes against tequila and beer producers in the region.

The arrests followed a coordinated federal operation involving multiple agencies. The National Defense Ministry, Navy, Attorney General's Office, National Intelligence Center, and Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection all took part. Rivera Navarro, a member of the Morena party, had remained publicly active until his detention, regularly posting updates about municipal work on social media.

Alongside the mayor, three other officials were taken into custody. These included the directors of Public Safety, Cadastral and Property Tax, and Public Works. All four are suspected of collaborating with the CJNG and orchestrating extortion against local businesses.

This case adds to a broader pattern of arrests involving Morena officials. Since 2018, at least 25 mayors or former mayors from the party have been detained nationwide over alleged criminal ties. While specific figures for Jalisco remain unclear, the latest operation highlights ongoing concerns about corruption and cartel infiltration in local government.

The detentions mark another instance of federal action against alleged cartel-linked officials in Jalisco. Rivera Navarro and the three other officials now face legal proceedings over their suspected involvement in extortion and organized crime. The operation underscores the government's continued efforts to tackle corruption at the municipal level.