A New Video of the CJNG in Cotija is Circulating

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

A new video attributed to suspected members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has begun circulating on social media, showing armed men in tactical gear and carrying high-caliber weapons outside a Farmacia Guadalajara—allegedly in Cotija, Michoacán—thereby highlighting the insecurity in the municipality.

The nighttime recording shows a group of individuals—purportedly members of the criminal organization—standing in the town center, accompanied by loud music and surrounded by several parked pickup trucks.

The footage shows the men wearing tactical gear and, in some cases, carrying long guns, as they flaunt their presence in the territory and signal their control over the area.

This footage follows another video released recently—also showing an armed group in Cotija—which was linked to a CJNG cell allegedly led by Heraclio Guerrero Martínez, known as "El Tío Lako."

Regarding the previous recording, Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla stated this morning during his weekly press conference at Casa Michoacán that authorities are analyzing the content to verify its authenticity and establish the circumstances under which it was filmed.

The governor noted that information must be verified before a definitive position is taken, as materials sometimes circulate that may relate to different events or be shared out of context.

“The authenticity of the video is already being investigated,” stated Ramírez Bedolla in response to questions regarding footage showing armed men in the municipality of Cotija.

This new material once again highlights the security situation in that region of Michoacán, where residents have reported the presence of criminal groups and incidents linked to territorial disputes between criminal organizations.

Thus far, state authorities have not officially confirmed the identities of the men appearing in the video or whether they are members of the CJNG, although the circulated footage shows them wearing bulletproof vests bearing the initials of that criminal group.

Cotija, Michoacán

Source: Contramuro