Key advances in security and justice

Two key developments are shaping Mexico's security and justice agenda: former Michoacán governor Silvano Aureoles has been stripped of judicial protection by an arrest warrant for corruption, while a federal operation in Nuevo León has dismantled a significant arsenal, resulting in three arrests.

In a significant step forward for the accountability of former officials, the former governor of Michoacán, Silvano Aureoles Conejo, has been left without judicial protection, having exhausted all his legal remedies. A federal judge rescinded a provisional suspension that protected him, thus validating the existence of an arrest warrant against him. The crimes charged include money laundering, criminal conspiracy, and embezzlement, for an estimated amount of more than 3 billion pesos.

This development sends a strong signal that impunity for former public officials is being combated, which could generate greater confidence in the ability of justice institutions to prosecute corruption crimes, regardless of the position held by those implicated. This could potentially serve as a deterrent to future acts of corruption by current officials, by demonstrating that accountability is a real possibility and that immunity or political influence do not guarantee evasion of justice. The authorities' persistence in this case, despite the legal challenges, underscores their commitment to law enforcement.

Meanwhile, in Nuevo León, a joint federal operation has dealt a significant blow to the operational capacity of criminal groups. The operation resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of an arsenal of firearms. The seizure was significant:

64 firearms
More than 3,500 cartridges
115 chargers
Cash
Two vehicles

These items were found on two properties located in Monterrey. The operation was coordinated by the Attorney General's Office (FGR), the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), the National Guard, and the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC). The SSPC emphasized that this action "prevented weapons from reaching the streets, which reduces the firepower of criminal groups and contributes to the reduction of violence in the state."

The magnitude of the seized arsenal, along with the involvement of multiple federal agencies and the fact that the operation was the result of "intelligence and investigative work," suggests that it was not a fortuitous discovery. Rather, it indicates a deliberate and coordinated strategy to dismantle the logistical infrastructure of criminal groups. These types of operations, which focus on targeting the supply and operational capacity of criminal groups, indicate a shift or intensification in the national security strategy toward dismantling criminal networks.

By impacting the arms supply chain and firepower, the government seeks to directly reduce violence and criminal activity in key areas. The implication is that the government is attempting to reduce the operational capacity of organized crime in a more structural manner, which could have a long-term positive impact on public safety, provided these actions are sustained and complemented by other strategies to address the root causes of crime.