The arrest of a Mexican mayor with alleged ties to one of the country’s most violent cartels has revealed a horrifying new chapter in Mexico’s ongoing battle against organized crime. José Murguía Santiago was taken into custody for his suspected connections to a ranch used as an execution site. How severe and deep-rooted is cartel infiltration in Mexico’s local governments?
Mayor Arrested for Cartel Connections
José Murguía Santiago, mayor of Teuchitlán in Jalisco state, has been arrested for his alleged links to a notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) training site. Despite previously denying any connection to the property known as Izaguirre Ranch, authorities took him into custody as part of an ongoing investigation into possible collusion between cartel operatives and local officials.
The ranch, discovered by civilian search groups, contained human bones, clothing items, and evidence of burned remains that suggest it functioned as both a training facility and an execution site. Authorities previously arrested ten individuals connected to the property, freed two hostages, and recovered one body during initial raids on the site.
🇲🇽 MAYOR CUFFED IN MEXICO’S “RANCH OF HORROR” PROBE
The mayor of Teuchitlán, José Murguía Santiago, has been arrested over alleged ties to a gruesome cartel training site in Jalisco.
The Izaguirre Ranch—dubbed an “extermination camp”—was uncovered in March, littered with… https://t.co/lhM2Iu405Q pic.twitter.com/qC7JGV9jC7
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 6, 2025
Horror at Izaguirre Ranch
Members of the Jalisco Search Warriors, a civilian group dedicated to finding missing persons, were the first to thoroughly document evidence of atrocities at the ranch after receiving an anonymous tip. Their discovery of human remains and personal belongings scattered across the property led them to describe it as an “extermination camp” used for forced recruitment, training, torture, and killings by the cartel.
The state Human Rights Commission had reportedly informed local authorities about suspicious activities at the ranch back in 2021, but no action was taken until recently. This negligence has fueled outrage among families of missing persons, particularly after two members of the search group, Carmen Morales and Jaime Ramirez, were murdered last month while continuing their investigative efforts.
Mayor of Teuchitlan, Jalisco José Ascención Murguía Santiago has been detained for his possible relation to Rancho Izaguirre where a ranch from CJNG was recently seized by authorities. This mayor belongs to the party “Movimiento Cuidadano” also known as the orange party. CJNG… https://t.co/INWgFV5EX9 pic.twitter.com/TuFlMLgOrg
— Josue Ramirez (@Jreyesramirez80) May 4, 2025
Dispute Over Official Response
A serious disagreement has emerged between civilian search groups and government authorities regarding the nature of the site. Attorney-General Alejandro Gertz confirmed the ranch functioned as a CJNG training center but claimed investigators found no evidence of it being used as an extermination site, directly contradicting the forensic evidence documented by search groups.
The controversy reflects broader concerns about impunity and inadequate investigation of disappearances in Mexico, where over 120,000 people have vanished in recent decades. This latest discovery comes amid heightened international tensions, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum recently rejecting President Trump’s offer to send U.S. troops to combat the cartels, emphasizing that Mexico must address the crisis through its sovereign institutions.