The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit has announced the arrest of Hilario Ramírez Villanueva, known as Layín, the former mayor of San Blas. Ramirez was apprehended for alleged acts of violence against his ex-partner and for threatening a State Police officer.
Arrested in Xalisco Municipality
The former mayor, aged 55, was detained in the municipality of Xalisco. According to the security agency, the charges against him include damage to property, home invasion, and threats against a State Police officer.
In November 2022, Layín was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of improper exercise of his duties, a conviction related to the sale of an airport in the municipality of San Blas. The sale resulted in the diversion of over 12 million pesos that were not recorded in the municipality’s accounts.
Previous Legal Troubles
In 2019, an arrest warrant was issued for the former mayor who was considered a fugitive from justice, although he managed to defend himself with amparo – a Mexican legal procedure to protect individuals’ constitutional rights.
Along with his sentence, the Prosecution Court of the Regional Center for Criminal Justice imposed a fine of 30 days of minimum wage. The Nayarit State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) had originally sought a 23-year sentence for the crimes of bribery, abuse of power, and damage to public finances, but these charges were dismissed by the judge.
The Superior Audit of Nayarit (ASEN) brought the case for the diversion of resources to the FGE after auditing the public accounts of 2016, revealing a significant deficit. Despite the financial irregularities, Layín avoided jail time through a settlement payment.
Controversial Figure
Ramírez Villanueva served as the mayor of San Blas from 2008 to 2011 under the National Action Party (PAN), and again from 2014 to 2017 as an independent. He was well-known for his flamboyant birthday celebrations and for making inappropriate advances towards women who danced with him. He also sold a piece of land from the municipal airport, which led to his 2022 arrest.
During his 2014 campaign, Layín gained notoriety for confessing that he “stole a little” from the city council. He ran for governor of Nayarit in 2017 but was unsuccessful. Since 2018, Layín had managed to avoid the public hearings to which he was summoned by providing medical certificates.
In June 2022, despite being sought by Mexican authorities and Interpol, Hilario Ramírez was seen in Tepic. The Nayarit Prosecutor’s Office announced that the search and capture had been suspended due to an amparo filed by the politician. This protection has now ended with his recent arrest for domestic violence and threatening a police officer.
