Tijuana mayor to live in Mexican army barracks for protection

In light of cartel violence and threats to her safety, Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero announced Monday she would relocate to a Mexican army base

The barracks, on the southern edge of the Mexican border city, are 5 miles from Tijuana’s city hall. Violence continues to wrack the area, with a pickup truck containing seven dead bodies found in the city Monday.

On May 17, a member of Ms. Caballero’s security detail was shot at but not seriously injured.

Ms. Caballero did not specify details about the threats. The move to the barracks was suggested by the Mexican government and was in the works for two weeks.

“After receiving threats to my person, this due to the forceful results in terms of security, the federal government suggested that I go and live in the military headquarters temporarily, without affecting the work dynamics in our city,” Ms. Caballero said in a statement, as translated by Google.

Ms. Caballero noted that not everyone can afford to move into an army barracks and hoped her sojourn there would be temporary.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador indicated the same threats were made to Gov. Marina Avila of the state of Baja California, which contains Tijuana, as well as Sen. Jaime Bonilla.

Ms. Avila has opted to stay outside the barracks.

“Here I am, in public events. We continue to walk the streets, the neighborhoods. We are not afraid of them. We will continue to work because what we are looking for is peace and tranquility; that is what the families of our state deserve,” she said, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.