Edelmiro Cavazos Leal (11 November 1971 – August 2010)[1] was a Mexican politician who served as the Mayor of Santiago, Nuevo León, until his abduction and assassination in August 2010.[2] Cavazos had championed a crackdown on local police corruption and organized crime during his tenure in office.[2]
On August 15, 2010, Cavazos returned home from a public event held at Santiago's town square.[2] He was abducted by fifteen men, who forced him into a car, shortly after arriving home.[2] His body was discovered outside Monterrey on August 18, 2010.[2] He had been handcuffed and blindfolded before being shot.[2][3]
Mexican authorities in Nuevo Leon arrested seven police officers in connection with Cavazos' murder, including an officer who served as Cavazos' bodyguard.[3][4] According, to Nuevo Leon Governor Rodrigo Medina and Nuevo Leon state Attorney General Alejandro Garza y Garza, the Los Zetas drug gang had ordered Cavazos' killing after he cracked down on police officers who were secretly loyal to the criminal organization.[3] Cavazos had reportedly disciplined traffic officers who had illegally issued tickets to mountain bikers with cuts in their salaries.[3] Attorney General Garza told reporters in a press conference, "They say that since he scolded them ... they figured he was working for their enemies."[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Cumpliría edil asesinado 10 meses al frente de Santiago, NL" (in Spanish). Terra. Notimex. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kidnapped Mexican mayor is found dead". BBC News. 2010-08-18. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
- ^ a b c d e Castillo, E. Eduardo (2010-08-24). "Mexico: Zetas gang ordered killing of mayor". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2010-09-17.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Police arrested in Mexico". Sydney Morning Herald. 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2010-09-17.