San Juan Chamula, Mexico
Hundreds of fed-up residents in a poor Mexican town locked their mayor in jail this week, saying he had stolen public funds. The crowd also “arrested” the town treasurer and two council members. Juan Lopez, a spokesman for the crowd, said Mayor Juan Gomez of San Juan Chamula and the other officials had falsified documents and created phantom public works projects, such as roads and playing fields. Lopez said they collected money for the projects but never built them. Gomez insisted he and his colleagues had done nothing wrong, and appealed to state authorities to spring them from jail.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.