The total number of people detained since the start of the Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice stands at 241 arrests, an average of nearly seven daily arrests as part of the sweeping security operation following the assassination of Carlos Manzo, the Mexican Security Cabinet reported. According to several news outlets cited by media outlets, the final phase of this operation resulted in the arrest of 28 people in communities identified as high priority due to exposure to violence by criminal groups.
The authorities’ offensive included the seizure of seven firearms, more than 400 usable cartridges, 27 magazines, 18 improvised explosive devices and nearly 20 vehicles linked to criminal activities, the security cabinet detailed, according to media. The seizure of these resources and the arrest of suspected perpetrators are part of a strategy strengthened by federal and state forces that maintains joint operations at points identified as particularly high-risk due to the presence and activity of organizations such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The security operation, according to the Security Cabinet, was focused on cities such as Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, Villa Madero, Apatzingán, Buenavista, Tomatlán and Zitácuaro, where coordinated raids were carried out and controls were implemented on routes considered strategic to limit the mobility of criminal cells. According to data published by the media surveyed, these population groups are most affected by the dispute between criminal groups that have exercised territorial control in the past.
According to the Security Cabinet, the main objective of the current operation is to hinder the ability of criminal gangs to operate and curb crimes such as drug trafficking and extortion, which are common in the region. According to the media, the increase in patrols and controls is a response to the urgency of restoring minimum security conditions that allow citizens to resume their daily activities without the ongoing risk of violent events.
The assassination of Mayor Carlos Manzo on November 10 in a public square in Uruapan prompted the immediate implementation of the Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice. The killing sparked a national discussion about the safety of local officials and highlighted how difficult it is for authorities to anticipate and neutralize threats against officials, according to those who spoke to the media. Opposition spokesmen consulted by news outlets mentioned that Manzo had requested additional protection measures before his assassination, a request to which the same reports did not receive a response in a timely manner.
Various reports cited by the Security Cabinet indicate that police and military deployment has increased in areas where there have been clashes and displacement of civilians in the past. According to media reports, armed violence, extortion and threats against local authorities continued in these areas, restricting business and educational activities. The official strategy has prioritized maintaining a constant presence and implementing targeted interventions to impact both the prevention and deterrence of serious crime.
The media explained that the context of Michoacán continues to be one of confrontation between rival criminal gangs, internal displacement of the population and persistent threats to officials and businessmen. In various official statements reproduced by news agencies, the Security Cabinet assured that the arrest and seizure campaign would continue until better control of crime rates was achieved. Authorities stated that the main objective is to restore an environment of social peace and support residents in a situation characterized by pressure from armed organizations dedicated to committing serious crimes.
Journalistic monitoring shows that despite institutional efforts and the continued deployment of federal and state forces in several areas of Michoacán, concerns about the level of risk among citizens remain. The current operational plan includes patrols, checks on main roads and intelligence operations focused on regions where rates of armed violence – including attacks, extortions and confrontations – have increased more sharply in recent months, according to information disseminated by the media based on Security Cabinet reports.
The expanded operation represents one of the Mexican state’s most sustained attempts to curb the spread and activity of organized crime in the region. According to statements quoted by the media, the deployment of logistical and human resources aims to stop both crime and the social control mechanisms that several organizations have installed in strategic areas.
The Security Cabinet, in turn, stressed – as stated in communications distributed to news outlets – the importance of maintaining coordinated interventions and adapting police tactics to the evolution of the criminal context in the region. According to media reports, the measures used include both the visible presence of armed forces on the streets and intelligence measures to identify those responsible for serious crimes.
Despite the intensification of these operations, various sectors of society are expressing concerns about the ongoing episodes of violence and the presence of armed actors in the area. The process of restoring security is accompanied by increased surveillance and the continuity of verification and preventive measures in the most affected communities, the media reported based on information from the Security Cabinet.
The official strategy will continue with new actions and reinforcements according to the evolution of the panorama in the areas identified in the Michoacán Plan, while the federal and state authorities continue to give priority to stopping the actions of the cartels in the region and ensuring conditions that favor the development of the lives of citizens, the media added, based on the latest official communications.
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