Alejandro Correa, former mayor of Zinapécuaro, Michoacán, disappeared in the early morning of November 2 in the town of Tierras Coloradas, Hidalgo
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Political violence in Mexico strikes hard once again. Alejandro Correa Gómez, former mayor of the municipality of Zinapécuaro, Michoacán, disappeared in the early hours of November 2 in the town of Tierras Coloradas, municipality of Hidalgo. Since then, there has been no news of his whereabouts.
The Attorney General's Office of the State of Michoacán confirmed that the former official was last seen around 2:00 a.m., and has kept an active search alert due to fears that he may have been the victim of a crime. The official report details his distinguishing features, tattoos, and the clothing he was wearing at the time of his disappearance, in a desperate attempt to locate his whereabouts.
Datos sobre Alejandro Correa Gómez.
The case comes just one day after the murder of Uruapan's mayor, Carlos Manzo Rodríguez, who was shot during a Day of the Dead festival after having reported threats from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Two consecutive events that highlight the growing power of organized crime in Michoacán and the vulnerability of local authorities in the face of the cartels.
Michoacán remains one of the epicenters of violence in Mexico, with criminal groups fighting for territorial and political control of the municipalities. The murder of Manzo and the disappearance of Correa Gómez demonstrate the failure of the Mexican state to guarantee security even for its own representatives.
On Sunday, more than 10,000 people marched in Uruapan to demand justice for the mayor's murder and to denounce the indifference of the federal government. Residents and civil organizations recalled that Manzo had requested protection after receiving direct threats from the CJNG, but never received a response from Claudia Sheinbaum's government.
Claudia Sheinbaum.
During her morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed regret over the Uruapan crime and promised to capture those responsible. However, she ruled out resuming the "war on drugs," rejecting demands from various sectors calling for a stronger response to the cartels.
"That didn't work. There were six years of Felipe Calderón and six of Enrique Peña Nieto with the same strategy, and violence didn't decrease," Sheinbaum stated, defending her policy of "hugs, not bullets." But while the government insists on avoiding direct confrontation with organized crime, the cartels continue to advance, murdering mayors and disappearing former officials without the state being able—or willing—to respond.
During his administration (2018–2021), Alejandro Correa Gómez was a young Morena mayor identified with local development and tourism promotion projects. However, his municipality suffered serious episodes of violence, including an armed attack in 2022 that left 20 dead during a cockfight.
Today, his disappearance adds to the long list of officials, candidates, and former mayors who have been murdered or kidnapped in Michoacán, a state where the line between political power and narco control is increasingly blurred.
