The Arrest of "El Durazno" and Wave of Violence in Acapulco

The beginning of operation Lluvia de Estrellas on Saturday, December 13, in which two hundred members of the Federal Police and Gendarmería (in forty patrol vehicles and a helicopter for support) were deployed in an effort to reduce violence in tourist areas in Acapulco, Guerrero, has apparently resulted in an unintended wave of executions.

One particular event that occurred on that day appears to have played a major factor in the violence.  Members of the Gendarmería in the La Poza colonia, located on the west side of Acapulco, stopped a vehicle that had been reported stolen.  On board were two alleged members of the Cártel Independiente de Acapulco (CIDA), 26 year old Irving Josué Gutiérrez Sandoval, alias "El Durazno", and 28 year old Edén Pinzón López.  Upon inspecting the vehicle, the Gendarmería found two rifles, eight ammunition clips, two hundred nineteen rounds of ammunition, a small bit of cocaine, and a packet of one and a half kilograms of marijuana.

The arrest was announced by the National Security Commission on Thursday, December 18.  "El Durazno" was reported to be a financial operator within CIDA, in charge of collecting and administering money from drug sales and extortion (which includes commercial centers, businesses, restaurants, bars, and clubs), as well as coordinating a group of informants who reported the location of members of enemy groups and potential victims of kidnapping and extortion.  Edén was reported to be his personal bodyguard.

"El Durazno" was further reported to be a direct collaborator of the current leader of CIDA, Víctor Aguirre Garzón, alias "El Gordo", an alleged cousin of the former governor of Guerrero, Ángel Aguirre Rivero.  "El Gordo" is a former Federal Police officer who was once imprisoned for drug trafficking.  Rumor has it that a reorganization is taking place within CIDA, though it is unclear if this was triggered by the arrest of "El Durazno" or if his arrest was the product of the reorganization already taking place.

On Tuesday, December 16 a police officer in civilian attire was killed near Papagayo park, in the town of La Sabana a taxi driver was killed and in the Ecologista colonia, three young men were executed inside a house.

Shortly after 6:00 AM on Wednesday, December 17, a man was shot to death in front of Chrome Men’s Club on Vasco Núñez de Balboa street of the Hornos subdivision.  A man had been killed at that same location on Monday.  At 10:30 AM a man was removed from a vehicle in front of the Bancomer on Cuauhtémoc avenue and shot to death . 

That same day, at 10:50 AM police officers responded to a call about executed individuals inside of a mechanic shop in Llano Largo, located on the Cayaco-Puerto Marqués highway.  Three bodies were found, with a fourth wounded, though he passed away thereafter in a hospital.  Witnesses reported that two men aboard a yellow and white taxi arrived there and shot them.  Various 9 millimeter and 45 millimeter casings were found at the scene.

Around 4:00 PM, a blue FAW was stopped by a vehicle on Lázaro Cárdenas boulevard in the town of La Sabana.  Several individuals departed the vehicle and began shooting at the FAW.   The driver and the person in the passenger seat, Oscar and Joel Rojas Martínez, members of the music group La Luz Roja de San Marcos, were killed and two other passengers in the back seat were injured.

At 9:45 PM on Tlacael street, in the Pacífico colonia of the city, an armed group began shooting at two men that was attempting to flee.  People celebrating a posada (a religious festivals held in the lead up to Christmas) were caught in the crossfire, leaving four dead (one of which was a 7 year old girl and another a 26 year old woman) and eight injured (3 of which were minors).  Another version of the events indicates that the armed group attempted to kidnap a man who was celebrating the posada, which sparked a shootout.  At the scene of the crime was found fifty bullet casings, a mix of 45 millimeter and 38 super.