Jesús Manuel Lara Rodríguez

Who is Jesús Manuel Lara Rodríguez?

Jesús Manuel Lara Rodríguez was a Mexican politician murdered in the ongoing drug war in his country. He was the mayor of Guadalupe, Chihuahua, in the extreme northern part of Mexico near the United States border, from 2007 till 2010.

Guadalupe is one of Mexico's most dangerous towns. After receiving death threats from Mexican drug cartels, Lara secretly moved his family to nearby Ciudad Juárez, but was murdered there. His death caused the Chihuahua governor to order protection for the state capitol while safety measures were discussed in closed session.

Lara was known for his staunch opposition to the drug lords, in which efforts he worked alongside other mayors of towns bordering the United States, such as the Ciudad Juárez mayor. "His [Lara's] case is the best proof that the fight against the flow of drugs into the U.S. is right at the border."