Increasing levels of violence in Guanajuato

According to “El Siglo de Torreón” a newspaper based in the city of Torreón Coahuila, in northern Mexico, the violence is alarmingly increasing in the state of Guanajuato.

Although Guanajuato is one of the states with more foreign direct investment and one of the best economies in Mexico, it has become a battleground between drug cartels, and fertile soil for thieves that prey on oil pipelines and modern train robbers that steal merchandise from shipping containers on moving trains.

During the last 90 days, Guanajuato has registered the worst violence streak on record, with 239 murders, most of them linked to organized crime; and a total of 500 murders that have been reported from January to July of this year. In counterpart, during the same period of the last year, the authorities counted 395 crimes.

According to El Siglo de Torreón, the cities that have been most affected by crime are Leon, Irapuato, Celaya and Salamanca. Allegedly as a consequence of the arrival of criminal groups from the states of Michoacan and Jalisco.

Presumably, criminal groups such as “Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación” have established operations in different parts of Guanajuato, starting a territory dispute with other cartles such as “Los Zetas” and “La Unión” (the last one is composed of members of the dismembered “Caballeros templarios” and “Familia Michoacana” cartels).

Businessmen, merchants and even families are being harassed, extorted, and forced to pay protection fees in different municipalities, such as Uriangato, Moroleón and Penjamo, that share stateline with Michoacán.

According to El Siglo de Torreón, the Attorney of Justice of Guanajuato, Carlos Zamarripa accepted that “a struggle between criminal groups has begun in our state”.

Increasing violence

Tuesday July 25 in Guanajuato:

• Three people killed (two in Salamanca and Leon)
• Two executions in Palo Blanco community
• One person murdered in Rosario de Covarrubias.

Source: https://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/