Juchipila police director arrested for aggravated kidnapping

Authorities in Zacatecas, Mexico, have arrested the Municipal Public Security Director of Juchipila, Pedro Humberto de la Cruz Balvanera, and an active police officer, Marco “N”, for alleged involvement in aggravated kidnapping.

The arrests were carried out on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at approximately 11:16 a.m. as part of the SAGAZ (Seguridad Aguascalientes y Zacatecas) operation. The operation involved the execution of two search warrants and two arrest warrants. According to the National Registry of Detentions, de la Cruz Balvanera, who uses the alias “Aquiles”, was wearing his official dark blue uniform at the time of his capture.

De la Cruz Balvanera has held leadership roles within the Juchipila municipal government across two different administrations, serving during the 2021-2024 term and remaining on the directory for the current 2024-2027 administration. Following their arrest, the officials were transferred to the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Combating Kidnapping, Extortion, and High-Impact Crimes. Zacatecas Attorney General Cristian Paul Camacho Osnaya confirmed the detentions, noting that this investigation is independent of other ongoing cases in the region.