Piedras Negras municipal administration and police issues

In Piedras Negras, municipal administration and law enforcement have come under scrutiny regarding resource management, public safety, and conduct. Mayor Jacobo Rodríguez has explained that the city is managing a budget of nearly 1,000 million pesos by slowing asphalt purchases and limiting spending on street lighting and urban image projects. These funds have been diverted to educational support, including approximately 10 million pesos for school roofing, air conditioning, and electrical repairs. Additionally, the mayor has urged citizens to respect safety tape in high-risk zones near streams and the Rio Bravo to prevent accidents.

Concurrently, the municipal police face serious allegations of negligence and abuse. Manuel Osbaldo Salas Borrego is reportedly in serious condition after allegedly being released from custody without medical aid following a black widow spider bite. Separately, Jesús Pérez Sánchez has filed a complaint with the Coahuila State Human Rights Commission, alleging repeated physical abuse, verbal threats, and unlawful detentions by officers.

Despite these controversies, municipal security data shows fluctuations in perceived effectiveness and crime rates. While the city’s ranking for perceived government effectiveness dropped from first to fifth place nationally between March and June 2026, Commissioner Cruz Eliud Mercado reported a decrease in total robberies in October 2026 compared to the previous year. Specifically, business robberies dropped to zero and vehicle thefts decreased from five to one, with the security department reporting a 57% recovery rate for stolen items.