Hidalgo, a paradise for fuel thieves

The rise of fuel theft in the state of Hidalgo , where the Tlahuelilpan explosion took place, began in 2015 when Pemex registered 183 clandestine fuel taps , and then increased to 344 in 2016, and 2,121 in 2018. Therefore, it has the first place on fuel theft , according to information provided by Pemex .

This year, Hidalgo is the federal entity with the highest number of clandestine fuel taps , with a total of 164.

In previous years, Hidalgo had maintained stable numbers and numbers below other states. So, for example, in 2007, Pemex found 5 clandestine taps , which increased to 15 in 2008, and 16 in 2009.

In 2010, the number rose to 20, until it reached 51 clandestine taps in 2011; 69 in 2012, 112 in 2013, 146 in 2014, and 183 in 2015.

According to information obtained by EL UNIVERSAL , the state of Mexico, Veracruz, and Nuevo León registered higher levels than Hidalgo for years.

Yesterday, President López Obrador revealed that 2018 was the year with the largest number of damaged pipelines , with a total of 14,8948 damaged fuel pipelines.

Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo

, where a Pemex pipeline exploded last Friday, has registered 70 clandestine taps since 2016. In 2018 and 2019, three fires have been reported, after the drilling of pipelines in this municipality.

Nevertheless, the municipality with the most commission of a crime in Hidalgo is Tula de Allende , where the Miguel Hidalgo refinery is located, with 658; followed by Cuautepec de Hinojosa , 580; Tlanalapa , 271; Tepeapulco , 252, and Huichapan , 142.

In May 2018, Governor Omar Fayad said the fight against fuel theft would be reinforced but that same week, there was a fire after a pipeline was drilled at La Joya, San Pedro Huatenango , in the Santiago Tulantepec municipality.

As a result of fuel theft, Raúl López Manjarrez , the head of H32 , said that in February 2018, the sales at some gas stations decreased up to 80%.

Tlahuelilpan

In Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo , the majority of its 18,531 inhabitants work the fields or in commerce .

Silvestre, a farmer , says “we harvest alfalfa, coriander, radish, beet, broccoli, cabbage , and corn . At the end of the day, after 8 hours, we earn MXN $150.”

According to a poverty report made by the Coneval , 55% of the population in Tlahuelilpan lives in poverty and 7% live in extreme poverty , which means 11,528 people live in poverty .

8 out of 10 people live below the well-being line . “We're modest people, we work in whatever we can and we do out best with God's grace,” says Teresa.

The numbers provided by the Ceneval reveal that in Tlahuelilpan , 61.2% of the population, over 11,000 people, earn less than MXN $2,000 per month, which is not enough to support themselves and their families.

More than 66 people killed in Mexican pipeline explosion

gm