According to Mexico City based newspaper Excelsior, the 2012-2015 municipal administration positioned SMA as one of the most corrupt cities in the country.
For many years, San Miguel de Allende has been known as a haven for foreign retirees. However, in recent days, it has become fertile ground for criminal groups from Michoacán (some say, in complicity with local authorities).
According to Excelsior, members of the Expat community deplore the high levels of insecurity registered lately in SMA. They state that this kind of violence affects foreign residents and tourists, and say that it is awful to know that, in many cases, law enforcement officers are accused of criminal acts.
The leader of the “More Security for San Miguel de Allende“, David Bossman, underlined that crime and insecurity rates have increased significantly in the last three years.
According to the records of the Ministry of Public Security, crime numbers in San Miguel de Allende started raising between 2013 and 2015, three years marked by corruption and scandals involving former mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco, as was exposed by Excelsior.
San Miguel de Allende, Gto. (Image: Google)
Crime rates in the last five years
During 2012, San Miguel de Allende recorded 145 burglaries, 110 car thefts, 244 car break-ins, 91 business armed robberies and 124 to passers-by.
In 2013, the numbers continued increasing: 186 burglaries, 123 car thefts, 194 car break-ins, 131 business armed robberies and 142 to passers-by.
In 2014, the criminal rate has risen considerably, at least 312 burglaries, 173 car thefts, 334 car break-ins, 148 business armed robberies and 171 to passers-by.
In 2015, 224 burglaries, 149 car thefts, 192 vcar break-ins, 79 business armed robberies and 123 to passers-by.
Meanwhile, during the first 8 months of this year, (January to August), the figures have a downward trend. The record shows 101 burglaries, 94 car thefts, 73 car break-ins, 30 business armed robberies and 33 to passers by.
César Arias, President of “El Charco del Ingenio” Association (a local social and environmental initiative born in 1990), said that from 2012 to 2015, the municipal administration was a real “mess”, and San Miguel de Allende was positioned as one of the most corrupt cities in all of Mexico.
“We must not forget the audio where Mauricio Trejo unfurled the acts of corruption he was involved in, that’s why we had so much violence during his administration” Arias said.
Finally, César Arias lamented that the city government had been crammed with corrupt officials, police officers and bureaucrats originally from the neighboring state of Michoacán, where ex-mayor Mauricio Trejo came from.
Ex-Mayor, Mauricio Trejo committed acts of corruption (Image: Google)
Source: http://www.excelsior.com.mx/
