Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for an investigation of all candidates participating in the country's electoral processes, regardless of party affiliation, and for increased oversight of campaign finances, following the recent arrest of the mayor of Tequila, Jalisco, for alleged links to organized crime.

During her morning press conference from the National Palace, the mayor stressed that it is essential to close any space for the infiltration of drug trafficking and corruption into the country's political life. "There has to be a review," she stated, noting that this measure must include both the origin and destination of campaign funds as well as the backgrounds of those aspiring to elected office.

Sheinbaum insisted that the investigations must be carried out in a coordinated manner among the various federal government entities, in order to prevent cases like that of the mayor of Tequila, Diego Rivera Navarro, accused of extortion and alleged criminal ties. “There needs to be an investigation to prevent situations like this from happening again,” she emphasized.

Arrest in Tequila and Federal Offensive

The president's statement comes after federal authorities arrested the mayor of Tequila, affiliated with the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), along with three municipal officials last week. The arrests stemmed from citizen and business complaints alerting authorities to alleged extortion and other crimes committed from within the City Hall.

Sheinbaum defended the actions of the authorities and denied that it was a case of political persecution. She asserted that the investigation is a response to the numerous formal complaints filed by citizens. "What is important is that it is known that it is based on complaints. It is not a specific investigation against any public servant," she pointed out.

According to official information, The investigations indicate that the largest headed a corruption network within the municipal government,through which public servants allegedly extorted local business owners and merchants, in addition to embezzling public funds. The arrest is part of Operation Swarm, a federal strategy focused on combating the infiltration of organized crime into municipal governments, especially in regions with strategic economic activity. In this case, the tequila industry, one of Jalisco's most emblematic sectors, was allegedly targeted by these illicit practices. Tequila, a municipality of more than 40,000 inhabitants located about 65 kilometers from Guadalajara, has become a key point in this offensive, which the federal government seeks to expand to strengthen transparency and legality in electoral processes and local public administration.