Two of Mexico's biggest criminal organizations - Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel - have been fighting for control of drug trafficking routes leading north towards the American border. Mr Medrano said the fact that he has no involvement with criminal organisations would enable him to do a good job for the people of Fresnillo. "What matters the least for the people is who you may sleep with, what you do in your private life. What they want is good results from their politicians," he told BBC Mundo.
Mr Medrano comes from a very poor background in Zacatecas state. He went to the United States aged six, as part of an "artistic caravan". He returned to Mexico after many years to finish school and to read law at university.
He began a professional career as a singer and opened Fresnillo's first gay nightclub. A Roman Catholic in a very conservative part of Mexico, he says he has no intention of getting married. He denied being against gay marriage, but hinted that what is acceptable in the capital, Mexico City, and other regions of the country may not be acceptable in Zacatecas. "My agenda is based on achieving human and social development for all of us who live in Fresnillo, regardless of sexual orientation," he told BBC Mundo. Security is the main concern of the population of Fresnillo, a city of some 200,000 inhabitants. "First, we need to get our police better equipped and better trained, so they don't become accomplices of the criminal gangs," said Mr Medrano. He was elected mayor for the centre-right Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) of President Enrique Pena Nieto, who took office in December promising to review the "war on drugs" policy of his predecessor. Gay rights groups in Mexico heralded Medrano's win as an important step forward for the country. Though many high ranking elected officials have been rumored to be gay, Medrano is the highest profile openly gay politician to be elected to office to date. Concerned by the turf war that has grown increasingly bloody in Zacatecas, Medrano campaigned on a public-safety platform that would increase cooperation between federal and local police while also trying to root out corrupt cops bought off by the cartels.
Though gay rights causes, including the legalization of same-sex marriage (click here to read more about it), have advanced in Mexico as of late, Medrano is not always in lockstep with other Mexican LGBT advocates and activists: A Roman Catholic, [Medrano] says "I wish the church had a different view, but I cannot go against doctrine ... I respect my church, and I don't want to dig any deeper beyond what's permitted and what is appropriate." "I'm not in favor of gay marriage, I don't share that view, because we are still very small town ... in short, we're not prepared, in my view," he said. "Not yet, anyway, because we have strong roots in our religion, and in our customs." But he criticizes gay politicians who refuse to come out, saying he's "very proud to be the first openly gay mayor in this country." Some speculate that Medrano's more conservative stance on gay rights issues along with his reputation as a respected singer helped him garner the favor of the people of Fresnillo.