Small-town mayors targeted by Mexican drug gangs | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun

Small-town mayors targeted by Mexican drug gangs | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun: "Bladimiro Montalvo has one of the most dangerous jobs in this colonial town, and in all of Mexico. He’s the mayor.The soft-spoken 67-year-old teacher distributes school supplies, organizes a job fair and works on improving the library. He also tries to avoid ending up like his predecessor, who authorities say was kidnapped and shot to death last month by his own police officers, linked to the Zetas drug gang.Three other small-town mayors in northeastern Mexico have been killed in the last month — the latest on Thursday, raising the total number killed in border states this year to at least seven. On Friday, the mayor-elect of Gran Morelos, a town the border state of Chihuahua, was shot and critically wounded.
Mexican drug cartels have increasingly targeted such officials as they fight the government and each other, seeking control of drug markets and routes to the United States. They use isolated, lightly patrolled towns to hide and to stash kidnap victims, weapons and drugs. They must co-opt or eliminate authority figures such as mayors to assert control over both residents and police"