An armed confrontation between competing cells of the same criminal organization left eight people dead in Michoacán on Wednesday.
Two groups identified as factions of the Familia Michoacana cartel clashed in the municipality of Tuzantla, located 170 kilometers southeast of Morelia near the Michoacán border with México state and Guerrero.
The eight presumed criminals were killed in the town’s main square. Three minors were among the dead, according to preliminary information cited by the Reforma newspaper.
The confrontation occurred after one faction entered the turf of a rival faction based in Tuzantla to carry out an attack, according to Deputy Security Minister Ricardo Mejía Berdeja, who addressed President Lopez Obrador’s daily press conference Wednesday morning. Five men and one woman have been arrested in connection with the incident, in which the attackers arrived in cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles, he said.
The Tuzantla-based cell returned fire but was overwhelmed by the heavily armed invaders, El Universal said.
The dispute between the two competing groups, who are led by criminals Mejía only identified only as “El Pez” (The Fish) and “El Chaparro” (Shorty), appears to be related to the murder a few weeks ago of another individual whom Mejia only identified as “Lalo Mantecas.”
Four abandoned pickup trucks, one of which had been torched, were seized after the shootout, the newspaper El Universal reported. According to Mejia, drugs and weapons were also confiscated.
Security forces including the army and National Guard responded to the violence. Michoacán Security Minister José Alfredo Reyes Ortega also traveled to Tuzantla, where he told reporters that security would be bolstered in the area.
He said that a National Guard barracks would be established in Melchor Ocampo, a Tuzantla community 20 kilometers southwest of the municipal seat. Reyes said that México state-based criminal groups enter Michoacán in that part of the state and that the presence of the National Guard would stop that.
Michoacán was the second most violent state in the first seven months of the year, with 1,587 homicides, the federal government reported last week.
In addition to the Familia Michoacana, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Cárteles Unidos – a criminal group led by Los Viagras – operate in Michoacán, one of six Mexican states classed as “Level 4: Do Not Travel” by the United States Department of State.
With reports from El Universal and Reforma
Fresnillo has seen the worst of the dispute-fueled violence, including shootings, vehicles set on fire, and armed clashe.
A youth music program in Apatzingán, Michoacán, serves as a beacon of peace in the state’s notoriously violent Tierra Caliente region.
Less than 10 days after two Jesuit priests were killed in Chihuahua, a Catholic priest from Morelia suffered a vicious beating in Queréndaro.
Authorities in Michoacán have recovered the remains of 22 people from clandestine graves in Villamar, a municipality in the state’s northwest.
President Steinmeier looks to “intensify” cooperation on natural gas as Germany faces energy supply shortages.
Monday’s earthquake in Michoacán may be behind the increased volcanic activity, says a former federal disaster prevention agency director.
Bembenek shares with readers his Mexico experience, motivations and vision for the future of Mexico News Daily
More than 3,000 homes in Michoacán and over 2,000 in Colima were affected. An emergency was declared in four Michoacán municipalities.
FY 2022 saw record numbers of intercepted crossings at the nation’s southern border, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, US border officials said.
In a largely symbolic act, federal agents served the arrest warrants to the accused in prisons where they already reside on other charges.
After the quake, architect Aleksander Tokarz quit his high-paying job in the capital and gave his skills to those who really needed them.
Like the fictional character Don Quijote, the San Antonio, Texas, charity Quijotes fights off giants — the giants of poverty and poor health.
This earthy, sweet Mexican spice blend, the base for iconic Mexican dishes like tacos al pastor and adobada, adds complexity to any dish.
Mexico’s berry farming is rapidly growing, taking advantage of the warm climate and its proximity to a huge export market — the U.S.
The Soledad River’s geysers and boiling springs supply natural mineral water to pools at a rustic resort just outside Guadalajara.
Irad Santa Cruz’s Tlaxcala Cuisine Research Center showcases the state’s vast biodiversity and preserves its traditional recipes.
For many expats, a move to Mexico is a successful life rebirth planned out years in advance. Read on if your move has been less idyllic.
For most of his political career, was against heavy militarization of Mexico, but as president, he’s embraced it with an unexpected fervor.
With school starting again, student dress and hairstyles are suddenly popular topics again in Mexico. But should they be, Sarah DeVries asks?
THE STORY: US encourages Mexico to join semiconductor industry investments