Jalisco authorities refuse to investigate "La Barredora"'s links to local criminal groups.

GUADALAJARA, Jalisco (apro).- Authorities in Jalisco do not plan to investigate the connection between the criminal group “La Barredora” and local criminal organizations unless requested by federal authorities, said Roberto Alarcón Estrada, coordinator of the state’s Security Cabinet, at a press conference in Guadalajara.

The statements were made in response to the arrest of Ulises Pinto Madera, leader of "La Barredora," which took place on Wednesday the 23rd of this month in the Los Gavilanes neighborhood of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga by federal forces. This arrest was kept completely secret from local officials and officers to avoid compromising the operation.

"No, of course not (we knew he was here). It was a federal investigation, as you know, considering that he was apparently a member of organized crime, a federal matter. So, there's no report on the location of addresses or municipalities where this person was traveling," the official explained.

"It's a job that we respect and should continue to do, and no, it doesn't involve us; we try not to hinder, scare, or alert anyone, so when the federal authorities take action on the matter, they do 100% of the work."

Alarcón emphasized that the federal government's intervention was comprehensive and that local authorities did not receive, nor do they have, reports on the detainee's addresses or movements within Jalisco.

"We have no information or suspicion that he was here, however, his presence in Jalisco could indicate an alliance between the 'La Barredora' group and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel. Surely the federal authorities must have much more information that could clarify matters."

The official added that, "At the moment, we have no information as to whether this person linked to 'La Barredora' had any ties to the Jalisco Cartel."

The state security official added that, although Pinto Madera's presence in Jalisco was concerning, the operation did not trigger the red code to increase surveillance, given that the hotspots of conflict remain concentrated in Tabasco.

Authorities identify him as the second-in-command of "La Barredora," a criminal group from Tabasco.

He is linked to activities such as extortion, kidnapping, drug trafficking, fuel theft, and forming an alliance with another criminal group, and is identified as one of the main perpetrators of the escalation of violence in Tabasco since January 2024.

Pinto Madera had an arrest warrant for aggravated criminal association. At the time of his arrest, he was with his bodyguard, Jaime Gómez Delgado, aboard a vehicle.

The leader of "La Barredora" was wearing a light gray crew-neck shirt, black pants, and black sneakers; he is approximately 1.80 meters tall with a thin, robust build and a beard.

Ulises Pinto Madera's career includes serving as part of the now-defunct Federal Judicial Police and later as part of Los Zetas, operating in Tabasco and Cancún. He joined the then Federal Highway Police of the state of Chiapas in 1997.

In 2019, he joined the Tabasco Attorney General's Office, where he was part of the Investigative Police and met Hernán Bermúdez Requena, former Secretary of Public Security of Tabasco and now a fugitive from justice, whose chief bodyguard he was. Together, it is believed, they formed "La Hermandad" or "Cártel Policiaco," a network dedicated to migrant smuggling, drug distribution, and human trafficking.

"La Hermandad" allied itself with the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel after a dispute with the Gulf Cartel. In 2023, an internal rift gave rise to "La Barredora," which was reportedly led by Hernán Bermúdez, with whom Ulises Pinto allegedly had a falling out over financial issues.

After his arrest, "El Pinto" was transferred by the Navy to Mexico City to be presented before federal ministerial authorities.