Mexico reports rising illegal home seizures targeting families in Mexico City and Veracruz

Families in the Chalco area of Mexico City and in Veracruz are reporting illegal seizures of their homes, a practice known locally as despojo. In the capital, the Fiscalía General de Justicia (FGJ) has recorded more than 1,800 complaints of property dispossession, many involving organized groups that forcibly enter homes and evict residents.

In Veracruz, similar cases have emerged involving public officials. The mayor of Jalcomulco, Roberto Ixtla Campuzano, was accused of seizing a house after entering with armed escorts and allowing unauthorized renovations. Businesswoman Rosa María Martínez also accused former state Protection Civil official Ivette Orozco Lara of entering a property, removing belongings and occupying the land under the pretext of official supervision. Both incidents highlight allegations of abuse of political power and potential corruption in the handling of private property.