Mexican authorities have arrested the mayor of Teuchitlán, José Murguía Santiago, over alleged ties to a cartel training site where human remains and personal belongings were discovered.
At a Glance
- Mayor José Murguía Santiago arrested for alleged cartel links
- Izaguirre Ranch identified as CJNG training ground
- Discovery includes human bones and personal effects
- Attorney General denies it was an extermination site
- Over a dozen officials under investigation
Mayor’s Arrest Linked to Cartel Stronghold
José Murguía Santiago, mayor of Teuchitlán in western Jalisco, has been arrested as part of a sweeping probe into alleged connections between local authorities and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The investigation centers on Izaguirre Ranch, a remote site believed to have been used to train new cartel recruits—and possibly more.
The site gained infamy after investigators uncovered personal belongings and bone fragments scattered across the property. Murguía, who had long denied wrongdoing, previously told reporters, “If they want to investigate me, let them. I’m clean and willing to say what I know,” according to CBS News.
Watch Milenio’s video report on the investigation at Detienen a alcalde de Teuchitlán por nexos con el CJNG.
A Ranch of Horrors—Or Not?
Human rights groups raised alarms after activists found clothing, bones, and IDs at the site. Early reports referred to the ranch as an “extermination camp,” fueling outrage among families of the missing. However, Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz has since downplayed that claim, saying there’s “no recent evidence” the site was used for executions—though he acknowledged cartel activity had occurred there per Saudi Gazette.
Still, skepticism remains. Mexico is grappling with a crisis of disappearances—more than 127,000 people are currently listed as missing. Critics argue that downplaying the site’s potential use for mass killings ignores the lived experience of grieving families seeking justice.
Corruption and Cartel Collusion
The mayor’s arrest is part of a broader anti-corruption push. Alongside Murguía, authorities have detained the local police chief and several officers suspected of facilitating CJNG operations. The cartel, known for its militarized tactics and rapid expansion, split from the Sinaloa cartel and now commands significant influence across Mexico.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch disputed the extermination camp label, stating, “There is no evidence that it was an extermination camp,” though he confirmed that a training compound had been established at the site.
Rights groups argue the situation exposes a deeper rot—where public institutions are infiltrated by cartel power. The federal government says the crackdown will continue, but trust remains fragile in a region where law enforcement is too often seen as complicit.
