Mexican Authorities Set To Be Investigated After Thanking Cartel Leader 'El Mencho' For Holiday Gifts

Mexican federal authorities are set to investigate local counterparts after a town appeared to hang a sign thanking a local drug lord for holiday gifts for its population.

Concretely, President Claudia Sheinbaum said the inquiry will revolve around the town of Coalcoman, in the state of Michoacan. Videos posted on social media showed a sign at a Christmas fair thanking Jalisco cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, also known as "El Mencho," for the gifts.

"The children of Coalcoman thank Mr. Nemesio Oseguera and his sons, 2, 3, and Delta 1, for their noble gesture. Thank you for your gifts," the sign read. The Associated Press reported that it is unclear how much local officials were involved in the message, but Sheinbaum said local officials were being investigated for potential ties.

"Obviously we condemn these signs. A criminal group cannot hold a public event to promote the acceptance of violence," she said, adding that the mayor will be investigated for potential "ties to criminal groups."

This is not an isolated case, as criminal organizations tend to seek to replace state functions in territories they control, including welfare. Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, a drug lord known as "Chapo Isidro" something similar to "El Mencho" in Sinaloa municipality of Los Mochis, whose cartel reportedly handed over food and toys during Christmas.

Images circulating on social media and picked up by Infobae show boxes with logos tied to the cartel and reading "Merry Christmas." The organization led by the "Chapo Isidro" is not part of any of the two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, currently engulfed in a bloody turf war since early September.

However, the organization is a large player in the world of drug trafficking and likely took a significant hit this month, as the largest fentanyl bust in Mexican history has been linked to the group. A member of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, it allegedly lost thousands of pounds with a street value of $400 million in the bust.