Chivís Martínez for Borderland Beat
![]()
Father Goyo must be smiling today as last night, the Attorney General of the State (PGJE) detained Uriel Mendoza Chavez, (above with Michoacán governor Fausto) mayor of Apatzingán for the alleged the crime of extortion.
![]()
Noé Octavio Aburto Inclán of Tacámbaro was arrested for links to organized crime, with the help of federal forces, autodefensas liberated the community this week but have been a presence in the community since March 27th.
In the statement issued by the state agency, the warrant issued by a judge of criminal cause charges that Mendoza had probable responsibility in the commission of the crime of extortion perpetrated against Ramón Santoyo Gallegos, José Martín Gómez Ramirez and Ricardo Reyna Martinez.
The victims were “regidores” instilled as political puppets in the Mendoza administration.
Regidores,are similar to a board of directors, who vote on all municipality issues.
Since January 2012, the men were forced to forward 20,000 MXN, of their pay, to “support the activities of the Templarios”.
![]()
Father Goyo, autodefensas leader of Apatzingán, has long accused Mendoza of extortion and led a group of self-defensemembers into city hall on March 4th demanding Mendoza resign, charging him, among other crimes, with extortion.
The mayor is a nephew of the now deceased premier leader of Caballeros Templarios, Nazario Moreno, El Chayo, and autodefensas charge he won the election because the other candidates were threatened or ran out of the municipality.
The victims reported that in January of 2012, Mendoza led them and council members to a location near the community of Las Punts in Apatzingán, where they were met by heavily armed men who identified themselves as members of the Templarios and said the 20,000 pesos a month (apx 1550USD) was needed to assist in the purchase of weapons, "leaving no choice to the offended to deliver the required amount," said the PGJE in the statement.
(above) In the March protest outside the Municipal Building, where his followers unfurled a banner that read:
"Uriel, Give us the 300 missing people seized by your municipal police, or tell us where they are so we can give them a Christian burial.''Another Mayor arrested:
Noé Octavio Aburto Inclán of Tacámbaro was arrested for links to organized crime, with the help of federal forces, autodefensas liberated the community this week but have been a presence in the community since March 27th.