Fear Grips Tabasco as Human Head Found, Police Officers Injured

Tabasco has descended into chaos for the second day running, with violence erupting across the state. Businesses were torched, gunfire rang out in the streets, and chilling messages from criminal groups surfaced demanding the dismissal of top security officials. But Governor Javier May Rodríguez remains adamant: his administration has no ties to criminals, and the violence isn’t a result of a lack of authority, but rather a reaction to its firm presence.

In an attempt to reassure the public, Rodríguez addressed the press on Friday, delivering his first statement on the violence that has gripped the region since he took office last week. He emphasized that the brutal attacks, which included arson attacks on businesses and cars, were not a sign of the government’s weakness but proof of its strength. According to the governor, the spike in violent acts comes as criminal gangs resist the state’s efforts to impose law and order.

“What we are seeing is not because there’s no authority,” Rodríguez declared. “It's happening because there is authority, action, and results. What occurred yesterday is resistance to that authority, but the state will prevail and double down its efforts.”

Criminals Demand Security Chief's Resignation

The flashpoint in this unfolding drama appears to be a chilling demand issued by a criminal group through a video circulating on social media. In the short clip, heavily armed men clad in military fatigues directly addressed the governor, ominously telling him that “peace is in his hands.” Their condition? The removal of Tabasco’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, General Víctor Hugo Chávez Martínez.

Claiming that the top security official was not “neutral,” the criminal group accused Chávez of siding with a rival gang from Jalisco. Their ultimatum was clear: replace Chávez or face continued violence. “Replace that filthy man who is not loyal to the country,” they demand in the video, offering “total peace” in exchange for a “neutral” replacement.

To drive the point home, banners echoing the same demands were found hanging in schools in the municipalities of Centro and Paraíso. The threats were unmistakable, sowing panic across the region.

Governor Denies Collusion, Pledges Crackdown

However, Governor May Rodríguez was quick to dismiss any suggestions that his administration was colluding with criminals. He categorically denied any connections between his government and the violent groups operating in the state. Instead, he suggested that the criminal organizations are attempting to discredit the state’s efforts to restore law and order, sowing distrust among the public.

“They want to generate doubt and suspicion in the minds of the people,” said Rodríguez. “But General Chávez Martínez has my full support and confidence.”

The governor urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity through anonymous tip lines, insisting that this would help authorities track down the criminals responsible for the mayhem. He made it clear that his government’s resolve would not be shaken by threats from any criminal organization.

Psychosis Grips Tabasco as Violence Escalates

The situation on the ground, however, paints a much darker picture. Tabasco’s capital, Villahermosa, has been gripped by what some are describing as a state of psychosis, as residents reel from the wave of violence and uncertainty. The violence, which began last Thursday and reached a fever pitch in the last 48 hours, has left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Businesses, including two branches of the popular grocery chain Super Sánchez, along with an Oxxo convenience store and a plastics shop, were set ablaze. Gunfire erupted in various parts of Villahermosa, and residents reported hearing terrifying gun battles echo through the streets. Even major highways weren’t spared, with tire punctures scattered across the Teapa Tacotalpa highway and in the Bosques de Saloya area.

And in perhaps the most gruesome discovery, a human head was found inside a refrigerator in Villahermosa’s Primero de Mayo neighborhood, alongside a narco-banner threatening Secretary Chávez.

Police Targeted, Officers Injured

The violence has not spared law enforcement either. In a particularly brazen attack, two officers from the state’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) were shot while guarding a secured property in Villa Parrilla, a suburb of Villahermosa. Though the officers were only slightly injured, the incident is yet another stark reminder of the heightened tensions across the region.

Following the attack, the state government’s spokesperson, Fernando Vázquez, issued a statement on social media platform X, informing the public of the officers’ condition and the ongoing efforts to clamp down on criminal activity. “An immediate operation was mounted in the area, and the authorities’ actions to provide peace and security to the population continue,” he said.

Vázquez also urged the public to remain calm and contribute to the investigation by reporting any information that could help locate the culprits. He underscored that the escalation in violence was in direct response to the government’s ongoing operations, both on the ground and in the air, to stamp out crime.

“This is a reaction to the progress we’re making in restoring security to the state,” Vázquez told local media outlets.

A State on Edge

As Tabasco teeters on the edge, its residents are left wondering when, or if, normalcy will return. With public confidence in the authorities wavering and criminal groups brazenly dictating terms to the governor, the next few days will be critical in determining whether the state can regain control of its streets.

Governor May Rodríguez’s administration faces its first major test, and the pressure is mounting to demonstrate that the government can stand firm in the face of such direct threats from organized crime. His words may have been defiant, but the actions of Tabasco’s criminal underworld are equally bold. The battle for control of Tabasco is only just beginning.

As the chaos continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the fight for peace in Tabasco is far from over.