On April 28, José Luis Pereida Robles, the secretary general of the Teocaltiche City Council, was gunned down while dining at a restaurant in Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Mexico, just before 5 p.m. local time. Two men on a motorcycle opened fire at close range and then sped away. Police and medical personnel arrived and confirmed that Robles “no longer had vital signs.”
Teocaltiche, a town of about 40,000 people in northeastern Jalisco, roughly 100 miles northeast of Guadalajara, was shaken by the attack at the El Ranger seafood restaurant in the Tavares neighborhood.
Robles, 35, earned a law degree from the University of Guadalajara and led the local PRI municipal committee since January 2024. A council colleague, Óscar Vital, was present but unharmed.
The Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the motive behind the shooting, but no arrests have been made so far. Authorities have not specified whether the killing was related to his council duties or to wider security issues in the region.
The murder came just two weeks after Teocaltiche Chief of Police Ramón Grande Moncada, 50, was killed when a suspected gang member approached his vehicle and opened fire on April 15. Moncada was struck three times and died at the scene; his wife survived after being treated for her injuries.
That same evening, federal and state officials seized a property in Teocaltiche used by criminal groups to stash stolen vehicles and goods valued at more than $2 million, according to local reports. In February, eight municipal police officers were kidnapped, and the remains of four were later found in plastic bags along a highway, leading the state government to assume control of the local force.
Security analysts say violence in Jalisco has escalated as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel extended its reach in recent years. In February, President Donald Trump designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to tighten sanctions on its leaders and financial networks.
The threat to public figures is not confined to Jalisco. In October, the body of Alejandro Arcos, mayor of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, was discovered stuffed in his pickup truck with his head placed on the hood. A former prosecutor and local police official identified as German “N” was arrested in connection with that killing, local authorities said.
The Teocaltiche City Council released a statement lamenting Robles’ death and commending his dedication to public service. The council said it “deeply regretted the passing” of its secretary general and added, “His courage and dedication left an indelible mark on our community.”
In Mexico City, members of the Chamber of Deputies observed a minute of silence for Robles at the request of PRI coordinator Rubén Moreira Valdez, highlighting concerns about the safety of local officials serving in areas racked by cartel violence.
Local activist groups and relatives of missing persons have organized under the banner Frente Teocaltiche por Nuestra Gente to protest the climate of impunity. They have called on federal and state authorities to increase patrols and accountability, and some residents have formed neighborhood watch groups despite fears of retaliation.
Residents told El País that everyday life is marked by uncertainty, with people avoiding routine outings and organizing travel in groups. Many said the violence has undermined their sense of community and security.
The Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office has vowed to follow all leads in its inquiry into Robles’ killing. As evidence is collected and witnesses are questioned, local and national officials will await progress in a case that underscores the formidable challenges facing municipal governments in cartel-affected regions.
