The connection between Cuauhtémoc Blanco and the El Botox arrest: A case linking public administration and organized crime

Recent operations in Michoacán have brought to light a case that dates back to a previous arrest indirectly linked to Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s administration. César Alejandro Sepúlveda Arellano, alias El Botox, was captured on January 22, 2026, during operations carried out in the Tierra Caliente region, confirmed the Mexican government. However, this is not his first encounter with authorities, as his background traces back to earlier events revealing a complex criminal network with ties to previous administrative structures.

Background: The 2018 arrest at a Cuauhtémoc Blanco official’s residence

According to sources from the Morelos Attorney General’s Office, on January 28, 2018, Sepúlveda Arellano was arrested at a residence in Cuernavaca, owned by Samuel Sotelo Salgado, who served as municipal secretary under Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s administration. Sotelo Salgado also held positions such as head of the Legal Counsel and Secretary of Government during the Blanco Bravo administration in Morelos.

The arrest occurred after an anonymous call reported an ongoing kidnapping. Security personnel found a bound individual inside the property located on Calle Cataluña, in the Maravillas neighborhood. The operation led to a formal arrest warrant for allegedly committing crimes of homicide against municipal authorities. Sources close to the investigation confirmed that the events were documented photographically and on video, though the current status of the files at the state Public Ministry offices is unknown.

The Los Blancos de Troya network and its criminal activities

El Botox is presumed to be the leader of the criminal structure called Los Blancos de Troya, a group specialized in extortion and homicide activities. His connection to the murder of lemon grower Bernardo Bravo, which occurred in October 2025, solidified his position in federal investigations. He carried multiple arrest warrants pending for crimes of qualified homicide and extortion in the state of Michoacán.

Capture operation: Interagency deployment in Tierra Caliente

Federal Secretary of Public Security Omar García Harfuch confirmed that the operational deployment in Tierra Caliente was specifically coordinated to arrest Alejandro N., alias El Botox. The operation involved the participation of the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP), the Michoacán State Attorney General’s Office (FGE), the Secretariat of National Defense, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), and the National Guard.

On the day of the operation, 19 search warrants were executed in the locality of Cenobio Moreno, on properties associated with the criminal network. Seized items included doses of granular methamphetamine, dried marijuana, 7.62 caliber ammunition, and sophisticated radio communication equipment. All confiscated material was handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.

So far, Samuel Sotelo Salgado has not issued any comments regarding his previous connection to the property where El Botox was detained in 2018, nor about the relationship between that event and the recent operations in Michoacán. The case remains under investigation by federal and state authorities.