New Mayor Takes Office After Mayor Before Him Is Beheaded

Gustavo Alarcón steps in amid drug cartel turmoil
By Newser.AI Read our AI policy
Posted Oct 10, 2024 8:34 PM CDT
New Mayor Takes Office After Mayor Before Him Is Beheaded
Gustavo Alarcon is sworn-in as mayor of Chilpancingo, Guerrero state, Mexico, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, days after former Mayor Alejandro Arcos was killed less than a week after taking office.   (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

Gustavo Alarcón was sworn in as mayor of Chilpancingo, Mexico, on Thursday in the wake of the violent death of his predecessor, Alejandro Arcos. Less than a week after taking office on October 1, Arcos was found beheaded, his body discovered in a pickup truck. Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero state, is embroiled in a fierce struggle between two drug cartels, the Ardillos and the Tlacos. Alarcón assumed office with a modest police security team, vowing to tackle the region's persistent violence for the betterment of its residents.

Arcos had expressed a need for increased security prior to his death, although authorities indicate no official request was made. The state and federal governments have provisions for additional protection, including bulletproof vehicles and emergency systems for officials. The extent of any security measures provided for Alarcón remains undisclosed. Chilpancingo, a city of 300,000 people, faces the constant threat of cartel-related violence. In 2023, one gang staged an aggressive demonstration involving hijacking and hostage-taking.

Across Mexico, the violence isn't isolated to Guerrero. In Guanajuato, another plagued state, at least four mayoral candidates were killed leading up to the June elections. Amid this turmoil, Roman Catholic bishops elsewhere in the state reportedly brokered a truce between rival cartels earlier this year. Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who maintained a non-confrontational stance with the gangs, endorsed these peace talks, commending the clergy's involvement. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)

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