CRIME

Murky Truths: A Double Killing and Cover-Up in Mexico

MexicoMon Oct 21 2024
In Mexico's Sinaloa state, something sinister happened on July 25. A prominent opponent of the governor, Héctor Cuén, was killed. But the story gets twisted. Police, prosecutors, and even forensic experts tried to hide this murder. They claimed it was a random robbery at a gas station. But federal prosecutors uncovered the truth. Cuén's body was cremated quickly, violating rules. A blood-stained truck from the crime scene turned up in the gas station's false security footage. This points to a cover-up by Sinaloa's police and prosecutors. Governor Ruben Rocha has been quiet about this. He claimed Cuén was killed in a botched robbery. But the federal prosecutors have a different story. They say the governor's version doesn't add up. The gas station video was fake, and the truck had blood from a bodyguard of a famous drug lord, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Zambada claims he was kidnapped and taken to the US on the same day. His story matches Cuén's murder. This mess is making Governor Rocha look bad. He's part of the ruling party. But he hasn't stopped the cartel fights and killings happening in Sinaloa. He even said things are under control before gunmen attacked a local newspaper. Zambada says he was invited to meet with Rocha and Cuén to settle their feud. But Zambada was abducted, and his bodyguards vanished. It's complicated. Zambada trusted the guy who betrayed him. They were from rival cartel factions but worked together. Zambada's ability to evade capture for years shows he takes security seriously. So, why leave his team behind for this meeting? It's like he thought it was safe. But it wasn't. The aftermath shows the ugly web of politics and crime in Sinaloa.

questions

    If the truck in the footage was real but the station robbery was fake, did the blood-stained truck have a GPS saying 'Take me to a gas station, please'?
    Was there an attempt to frame Zambada or Cuén, and if so, who benefited from their alleged murders?
    What role did the rivalry between the two Sinaloa drug cartel capos play in the events of July 25, and how has this affected the stability of the state?

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