Former Tabasco Security Chief Linked to cartel Captured in Paraguay, Exposing decades of Political Complicity
Paraguay’s capture of Hernán Bermúdez Requena, the former Secretary of Security for the Mexican state of Tabasco, has ignited a political firestorm, revealing a decades-long pattern of alleged collusion between government officials and organized crime. The international operation, culminating in bermúdez’s arrest Friday in Asunción, identified him as the alleged head of “Barredora,” a criminal group affiliated with the powerful Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña hailed the arrest as “a forceful blow to transnational organized crime,” declaring via his X account that “Paraguay will not be a refuge of criminals.” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed this sentiment, thanking international partners and emphasizing the importance of cooperation in combating corruption and organized crime.
However, the arrest is only the first layer of a deeply troubling story. Evidence suggests Bermúdez enjoyed protection from no fewer than five governors of Tabasco since 1992 – three from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), one from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), and one from the National Regeneration Movement (morena).
Bermúdez’s ascent began in 1992-1994, during the governance of Manuel Gurría (PRI), where he served as a Director of Public Security alongside Adam Augusto López Hernández, then the undersecretary of Government and Legal Affairs. He continued to climb the ranks, directing the state prison Creset under Governor Roberto Madrazo (PRI) from 1995-1997, while López Hernández continued his own political advancement within Tabasco.
His influence persisted through the governorship of Andrés Granier (PRI), maintaining key police positions. Under Arturo Núñez (PRD), Bermúdez reached the position of Director of the investigation Police, granting him access to sensitive information and operational control. This long-term consolidation of power was described as “transsexenal” – spanning multiple political cycles.
The relationship reached its zenith in 2019 when Adam Augusto López, now governor under the Morena party, appointed Bermúdez as secretary of Citizen Security and Protection of Tabasco. This appointment placed Bermúdez in control of the state’s entire security apparatus, despite reported suspicions – documented in the “Guacamaya Leaks” – of his ties to the Barredora cartel.
The connection between the two men extended beyond the political realm. A notary public in Villahermosa,owned by López Hernández,reportedly authenticated documents related to companies linked to Bermúdez’s brother and nephew,operating in the betting and construction industries. This suggests a relationship that was not only political and functional but also financially intertwined.
while previous governors are implicated in fostering Bermúdez’s career, the greatest obligation, according to sources, falls on López Hernández, who elevated him to the critical security post and maintained him in that role until 2024, despite mounting accusations.
The Bermúdez case has “naked the rot of tabasco politics,” exposing a systemic failure of oversight and accountability. His capture should trigger a complete investigation into the political networks that sustained him for decades.
The detention represents a victory for law enforcement, but also a stark reminder of the deeply entrenched relationship between politics and crime in Tabasco. Critical questions remain: How aware was López Hernández of Bermúdez’s alleged criminal activities? What responsibility does he bear for the crimes committed under his watch? And, crucially, what did his predecessors know – and why did they repeatedly place a perhaps compromised individual in positions of power?
This case underscores the institutional fragility of Mexico, where officials have been able to operate as protectors, accomplices, or even leaders of organized crime.the history of Bermúdez demonstrates that, in Tabasco, political power and organized crime have historically operated in tandem, until the current Morena governor, Javier May, reportedly moved to dismantle that perverse relationship.
