Mexican authorities have confirmed that Hernán Bermúdez Requena, former Secretary of Security and Civil Protection in Tabasco, is now an international fugitive. An arrest warrant was issued for him on February 14, 2025, over suspected ties to the criminal group known as “La Barredora,” according to General Miguel Ángel López Martínez, commander of the 30th Military Zone.
Bermúdez Requena reportedly fled the country on the day the warrant was issued, traveling from Mérida, Yucatán to Panama, with a layover in Spain, and is now believed to be in Brasília, Brazil. The Mexican government is working with Interpol to track and detain the former official.
His departure followed a violent wave of crime in Tabasco, including riots, vehicle burnings, and armed clashes. Bermúdez had previously denied cartel activity in the state, attributing violence to local gangs. However, current Governor Javier May has stated that under previous administrations, organized crime was allowed to take root in the region.
This development comes amid broader upheaval in Tabasco’s security apparatus. Bermúdez’s successor, Víctor Hugo Chávez Martínez, also resigned under threat from criminal groups. State and federal officials have since deployed hundreds of soldiers to the region as part of the new Interinstitutional Olmeca Force.
