DistantNews
Support us
Suspect arrested in murder of former Oaxaca mayor, linked to 'Los Rusos' cartel
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

Suspect arrested in murder of former Oaxaca mayor, linked to 'Los Rusos' cartel

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Oaxaca state authorities arrested Z.S.S., alias “El 07,” for the alleged murder of former mayor Pedro Martínez Barroso.
  • The suspect is believed to be part of the criminal group “Los Rusos,” active in Oaxaca and Guerrero states.
  • The investigation into “Los Rusos” continues, as the group is linked to various serious crimes including homicides and kidnappings.

Oaxaca state authorities have arrested Z.S.S., known as “El 07,” for his alleged involvement in the qualified homicide of Pedro Martínez Barroso, the former municipal president of San Juan Cacahuatepec. The arrest occurred on August 2, 2026, following the execution of an arrest warrant.

According to prosecutor Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla, intelligence and field work led investigators to identify the suspect as the alleged perpetrator of the crime. The investigation suggests that “El 07” belongs to a criminal cell called “Los Rusos,” which operates in municipalities within the Costa region of Oaxaca and is primarily based in Guerrero state.

Rodríguez Alamilla stated that “Los Rusos” are also implicated in high-impact crimes such as homicides, kidnappings, drug dealing, and illegal firearms possession. Several ongoing investigations aim to dismantle this criminal organization. The former mayor, Martínez Barroso, was shot and killed on July 13, 2026, inside a hardware store he owned in San Juan Cacahuatepec.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog