Baja California’s Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana (SSC), the state public safety agency, has removed Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Mederos Sánchez from his position as State Intelligence Coordinator. The move marks the latest in a series of leadership changes at the top of the state’s security apparatus.
Mederos Sánchez had been considered a candidate to lead the General Coordination of the State Citizen Security Force, known by its Spanish acronym FESC. He joined the intelligence post shortly after General Laureano Carrillo Rodríguez took charge of the SSC.
Latest Shake-Up in BC Security Leadership
No replacement has been publicly named, and officials have not released a formal explanation for the removal. The state intelligence coordinator plays a central role in gathering and analyzing security information across Baja California, including Tijuana, Ensenada, Mexicali, and Rosarito.
The SSC oversees policing strategy and coordinates law enforcement operations statewide. The intelligence office, in particular, is responsible for threat assessment and directing resources toward organized crime and public safety priorities.
Pattern of Instability at the SSC
The departure of Mederos Sánchez continues a pattern of turnover within the SSC under its current leadership. General Carrillo Rodríguez took over the agency as part of a broader restructuring of Baja California’s security institutions. Since his arrival, multiple senior positions have seen personnel changes.
Frequent leadership turnover at the state security level can disrupt ongoing investigations and intelligence operations. Baja California, particularly the Tijuana metropolitan area, faces persistent challenges from cartel activity, extortion, and violent crime. The state recorded thousands of homicides in recent years, and continuity in intelligence leadership is considered critical to maintaining pressure on criminal organizations.
The removal also comes during a period of heightened security concerns across the state. In October 2025, the Baja California state attorney general’s office in Playas de Tijuana was attacked, prompting a security alert from the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana.
What Comes Next
It remains unclear whether the SSC will appoint a new intelligence coordinator from within existing ranks or bring in an outside figure. The FESC leadership position that Mederos Sánchez had reportedly been in line for also remains unresolved.
This story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.