Jorge Alcocer V.
On Thursday, February 15, I read in several newspapers in the capital the news of a meeting between bishops and parish priests and the leaders of criminal groups in Guerrero. Salvador Rangel, bishop emeritus, said: “We have to do something because it is sad that these authorities (Guerrero authorities) do nothing to pacify the state.” (Reform, 15.902.24)
Bishop Rangel is absolutely right. Today, Guerrero has no authorities capable of confronting the wave of violence that has engulfed several regions and municipalities of this long-suffering state. Evidence and suspicions of collusion and complicity between the highest local authorities and several municipalities, starting with the two most important – Acapulco and Chilpancingo – with criminal gangs and their bosses have been demonstrated for several months. For its part, the federal government has maintained an ominous silence in the face of the facts and openly supported its governor.
The presence and activity of criminal groups is a reality throughout our country, although their direct impact on the population is differentiated. There are states in which acts of violence are isolated, while in others they occur daily and even terrorize residents of remote cities. The analysis focuses on the appalling numbers of murders and missing persons; At the same time, low-income people are being attacked on public transport, in the streets and squares, and robberies of residential buildings are increasing. The collection of “floor fees” is like a plague, it is spreading everywhere.
The potential impact of violence on electoral processes is not a risk, it is a real threat.
Several observers have begun recording and counting politicians, candidates and candidates who have been attacked with guns, injured or killed. The numbers vary, but in all records they are growing daily. The violence of crime, whether organized or disorganized, is the elephant in the middle of the horseshoe of democracy.
News has been published in various media about the risks faced by thousands of INE crew members and trainers who have already begun contact with the millions of citizens chosen to take care of receiving and against votes on Sunday, June 2.
Indeed, in previous elections, attacks on INE staff were few and far between. But the situation with violence in the country has changed for the worse.
To the possibility that the challenges of organizing and executing Election Day on Sunday, June 2, may be affected by violence and crime, we must add the acts of violence against candidates and pre-candidates that I mentioned earlier. While there are varying records and data, there have been numerous instances of direct attacks in the 2021 elections, mostly against candidates in municipal elections.
It is highly likely that the highest number of cases will be recorded here again this year, as evidenced by the attacks already recorded on candidates and pre-candidates. Attacks on federal candidates cannot be ruled out.
It is true that election officials are not supposed to prevent and prevent acts of violence, but they do have a role to play in the concerted effort to confront the elephant that threatens polling stations. What is inadequate is the ostrich-like policy of denying reality.
A few days ago, the President of the INE published a document containing the so-called “Security Scheme for candidates who will run for President of the Republic, State Governors, Senate of the Republic and Chamber of Deputies” (sic). ).
The first observation is that the “Scheme” distributed by INE excludes from its title municipal candidates, local parliamentary candidates and all local CDMX candidates. If the reason is that it is the local level and the INE is only responsible for the federal level, then it should not include “state provinces”. The detail is that the vast majority of candidates in this election will compete at the local level and in parallel with candidates for federal office.
If you bury your head in the sand, the elephant will not disappear. INE states in the cited document that “there is no real or potential threat against the candidates” (sic). In fact, it is a diagnosis that postulates or confirms INE; Or is this what the federal government dictated to them? I will not go into detail about the “security scheme” based on such a premise.
I warn you about the urgent need for a serious and informational solution to the problem and its risks. And also about the relevance of the agreement between parties and authorities that the protection of federal and local candidates begins with ensuring, as far as possible, that they have no links, direct or indirect, with organized or unorganized crime.
MP Ruben Moreira is the one who pushed the most for these two items on the agenda for the 2024 elections. We must pay attention to him. P.S. A friend of mine bet that the bones were traveling aboard a Navy ship sent to Panama, which would be certified by the military medical examiner as belonging to Catarino Erasmo Garza. In his favor, he refers to the legend of the search and discovery of the remains of the last Aztec Tlatoani. How poorly thought out!
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Source: Aristegui Noticias
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
