Santiago's Mayor Cavazos has been kidnapped

Mayor Edelmiro Cavazos was taken from his apartment on Sunday and has not been seen since.

According to the police, Cavazos had just left the town's main square to go home when gunmen broke into his house and abducted him.

Witnesses claimed there were 15 gunmen. Santiago is a rich city in Mexico, so gang members target the city for people to kidnap in exchange for ransom. There is common consent around the idea that Cavazos may have been targeted because of his public efforts to eliminate corruption in the local police force.

Santiago and Monterrey, both wealthy cities in Mexico, have seen a rise in violence lately. This increase is blamed on drug cartels.