At least 12 people were killed and many wounded in an attack on a pre-Christmas party in central Mexico. The violence happened in the town of Salvatierra, reportedly at a hacienda, often rented out for festivities. The violence in the state of Guanajuato, where criminal gangs, including feuding drug cartels, have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.
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The incident during a pre-Christmas party where young people were participating in posadas, religious gatherings that commemorate the Christmas story.
Witnesses describe the attackers as six individuals armed with long guns who infiltrated the venue, catching the unsuspecting crowd of around 100 young people off guard.
Chaos ensued as the gunmen, uninvited and unidentified, opened fire upon being questioned about their presence.
The aftermath of the attack left a dozen people dead, and another 12 injured individuals were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The Tierra Negra foundation, involved in social projects in the region, expressed grief over the loss of young lives, addressing the victims’ positive qualities and the horror of the situation. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Guanajuato, a state plagued by turf wars between rival drug cartels, primarily the Jalisco cartel and local gangs supported by the Sinaloa cartel.
Three years prior, the city of Salvatierra made headlines when authorities discovered graves containing at least 50 bodies.
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Guanajuato has ranked among the most violent states in Mexico, and the current year’s homicide statistics reinforce this trend.
According to official figures, Guanajuato recorded 3,029 homicides, making it the state with the highest number of killings in the country. The violence has instilled fear and unease among the local population.
Salvatierra Mayor German Cervantes condemned the unfortunate act of violence and pledged full cooperation with the prosecutor’s office to bring the perpetrators to justice.
However, such statements concerns about the issue of security and the challenges faced by local authorities in curbing criminal activities.
In Mexico, where criminal organizations operate with relative impunity, challenging the government’s efforts to establish law and order.
The response to this incident will be closely monitored, especially considering similar attacks that have occurred in recent years.
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Four people lost their lives in a separate shooting in the city of Salamanca. Unfortunately, details about the circumstances surrounding this incident remain scant.
The simultaneous occurrence of these attacks in different locations underlines the nature of violence in the region.
While attention is focused on the Guanajuato, another disturbing incident happened in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.
Three men were shot to death, and four others were wounded in an attack at a bar. Initial investigations suggest a possible dispute involving retail drug sales. Tourism, a vital sector for Mexico’s economy, is now overshadowed by concerns about safety and security.
The 2021 killings of two tourists in Tulum during a restaurant gunfight between rival drug dealers prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a travel alert, urging increased situational awareness, especially after dark, in popular Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum.
This incident follows another violent clash on December 9, where a confrontation between gunmen from a criminal gang and residents in the small farming community of Texcaltitlan resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people.
Reports and visuals on social media depicted villagers armed with sickles and hunting rifles chasing down suspected gang members. The clash, fueled by the villagers’ frustration with cartel extortion.
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