close
close

Twelve bodies were discovered as cartel violence escalated

Twelve bodies have been discovered as cartel wars for territory escalate in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato.

Local authorities said the violence ended in a dispute between two organized crime syndicates over the square.

According to the prosecutor’s office, all the bodies were found within two hours in five locations in the city of Salamanca.

The victims, three women and nine men, were found on roads, bridges and avenues with gunshot wounds and signs of torture, one was dismembered.

The prosecutor’s office said the perpetrators left messages in which the cartel took responsibility for the brutal crime.

Cartel violence
A National Guard investigator waits outside a rehabilitation center where local authorities say unknown assailants killed four people and injured five in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico, on October 2, 2024. Authorities…


Mario Armas/AFP

The bodies were discovered after unknown gunmen attacked a rehabilitation center on October 2, killing four people and injuring five people in the same commune.

According to local officials, crime rates in Guanajuato have increased.

“October started here with very high crime levels. This means that 16 people have been murdered so far,” Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto told reporters.

In Celaya, Guanajuato, two police officers were shot dead by a violent gang from Santa Rosa de Lima amid increased attacks on authorities.

In Celaya, 18 police officers were killed, making the city of half a million people one of the most dangerous places for law enforcement.

Two cartels, Santa Rosa de Lima and Jalisco New Generation, are currently engaged in a territorial war for control of drug routes and territory in Guanajuato and neighboring areas.

Both crime syndicates are known for their brutal tactics, including kidnappings, murders and confrontations with law enforcement.

This violence has led to significant bloodshed in Guanajuato, making it one of the most dangerous states in Mexico.

The Mexican government launched numerous operations to dismantle the cartel, including the arrests of its leaders and key agents.

Leader Santa Rose in Lima, José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, also known as “El Marro,” was arrested by authorities in Guanajuato in August 2020, a major blow to the cartel leadership.

“El Marro” means hammer or hammer.

The Jalisco New Generation cartel is known for cannibalizing some victims while training new sicarios or members, as well as deploying drones and rocket-propelled grenades to target people.

Jalisco New Generation is also known for trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is scheduled to present her national security plan to combat gang violence on October 8.

Sheinbaum won a landslide victory and became the first woman in history to assume the presidency and leadership of Mexico.

Elsewhere, the United States announced it was seizing assets belonging to two international gangs known for smuggling fentanyl and people into the country – Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and Colombia’s Clan Del Golfo (CDG).

Do you have a story Newsweek should cover? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact [email protected]