Mexico’s Senate Approves Civilian Courts for Soldiers

By: Rafael Cabrera

The majority in the senate approved a reform to limit the immunity of members of the armed forces, if they commit crimes against civilians, this afternoon.  In this way, it will be civilian courts instead of military courts that will judge the military soldiers if crimes are committed against citizens.

The approved reform was achieved eight years since international organizations such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CIDH) and civil society organizations demanded that the Military Code of Justice be limited.  The main case in order to achieve this was the court’s ruling on the case of Rosendo Radilla, who was abducted by a group of soldiers in 1974.

In 2009, the International Court ordered the Mexican government to change its laws in order to ensure that military members of the Armed Forces are tried in cases of committing crimes against the people.

The approved changes by the senators include the Military Code of Justice and four other legislation affecting National Defense, the Mexican Air Force, and the Mexican Navy.

The reform was adopted unanimously by 106 votes in the Senate.  The approved law was sent to the Chamber of Deputies, which must also approve it in order for it to take effect.

During the administration of Felipe Calderón, complaints about abuses committed by members of the army and navy against civilians increased.

Source:Animal Politico

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My Disappointment In The Military: A Soldier's Experience In Michoacán

By: Diana Colín García 

July 31, 2013

I stayed waiting for Adolfo for more than 40 minutes in a well known plaza located in the south of the city.  Twenty minutes later I saw him arrive.   I almost didn’t recognize him; he had changed from his military uniform to comfortable cotton pants and his face transmitted serenity rather than stress in regards to the busy days in combat, the few weeks after his withdrawal had made him well.  

Adolfo (as requested to be called by, by his admiration for Adolf Hitler) told me one of the unofficial versions of what happened on the 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th of December in 2010, when the city of Apatzingán was engulfed in flames because of two clashes between the Federal Police and elements of the Mexican Army against the criminal group known as La Familia Michoacana.

-How long were you in the military?

It was around 5 years; I enlisted in June 2007 in my native state of Hidalgo and decided to leave in 2012…

-What was your occupation during your stay?

A paratrooper, I had to take two accredited parachuting courses.

-Where did they train you?

I was in various places, like the 4^th Military Zone located in Hermosillo, Sonora.  In the 16^th District in Sarabia, Guanajuato, in the 38^th in Tenozique, Tabasco, and in garrisons such as Agua Prieta located in Sonora and Ciudad Acuña in Cohuila, to name a few.

-And Coalcomán?

No; there we had to implement the training that we had previously taken in order to combat guerillas and organized crime.

-How was your arrival in Coalcomán, Michoacán?

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3 die in sierras of Durango

A total of three unidentified individuals have been killed in an armed confrontation in the mountains of western Durango, according to several Mexican news reports.

According to data supplied in a news account which appeared in the online edition of El Siglo de Durango, the shootout took place in Otaez municipality Saturday.

According to the account, a road patrol detachment of the Mexican 10th Military Zone encountered a group of armed suspects at a location between the villages of Macho Bayo and Huajupa, and attempted to stop them.  Instead the unit was fired on, forcing return fire by soldiers.

Two armed suspects were killed.  They were identified as Jesus Andres Nuñez Sarabia, 26, and Juan Francisco Núñez Ortiz, 18. Presumably more suspects were at the scene but escaped.

The soldier who was killed in the encounter was not identified in any of the news accounts.   It is said he was 28 years old.

Separately, according to statistics compiled by editorial personnel of El Siglo de Durango, to date 21 security personnel from local, state and federal agencies have died since January.  A total of 16 were murdered with the rest involved in accidents.  The total killed in all of 2012 was 54 of which nine were accidents.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com

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11 die in Tamaulipas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of 11 individuals have been killed in separate drug and gang related incidents in Tamaulipas state since Tuesday, according to Mexican news accounts.

Four unidentified individuals were killed in  a gunfight with a Mexican Army detachment in Reynosa Wednesday morning, according to a news report which appeared in the online edition of Milenio news daily.

According to the report, the gunfight took place at about 0900 hrs in Ampliacion Rodriguez colony and then spread on Bulevar Acapulco to Petrolera colony near a school, and finally concluded at around 1015 hrs.

Armed suspects were traveling aboard a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, and had apparently fired on a Mexican Army road patrol.  Army return fire killed three.   One of the dead were identified as Javier Antonio Cardenas Lopez, 30, from Sinaloa state.  In the pickup truck, soldiers seized three rifles, 38 weapons magazines, six grenades and  estrellas metalicas or metal stars, which are used to puncture vehicle tires.

One unidentified Mexican Army fusilero was killed and another was wounded.  Additionally five other unidentified civilians were wounded in the crossfire, three of them requiring medical attention.

In San Fernando municipality, a total of five armed suspects were killed in a firefight Tuesday night with a Mexican Army unit.

According to a news account posted on Milenio's website,  the gunfight took place at around 2015 hrs near ejido Guadalupe Victoria and El Rancho La Isla, where armed suspects traveling aboard an H3 Hummer fired their weapons on the army patrol.

The dead ages ranged between 40 and 16, and were not identified in the news report.  Five rifles, one grenade launcher, 28 weapons magazines and an undisclosed number of grenades were seized following the firefight.

San Fernando municipality is roughly halfway between Ciudad Victoria, the state capital of Tamaulipas and Matamoros, and has in the past been the scene of some of the bloodiest incidents in the drug war.

Meanwhile, two days ago the body of a Mexican journalist was found dead in Reynosa along with an unidentified female, according to a Proceso wire report which appeared on the website Yancuic.com.

The partially buried body of El Ciudadano columinist Mario Ricardo Chavez Jorge was found near ejido Santa Clara.  The female companion found with him had been decapitated.

Monday, a total of 52 migrants were rescued from a safe house in Reynosa by a security group, according to Mexican news accounts.

A new report which appeared in the online edition of El Siglo de Durango news daily said that a Base de Operacones Mixtas (BOM) of Policia Federal and state police stopped two suspects, which were traveling aboard a Dodge Avenger sedan.  The suspects revealed the location of the safehouse with the migrants who had been detained at the location.

The news account did not disclose the location of the safe house.  Of the 52, 48 were from Guatemala and two each were from El Salvador and Mexico.

The detainees were identified as Pablo Avellaneda Torres and Luis Angel Perez Sanabria.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com.  He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com

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Mexican Army kills 8 armed suspects in Tamaulipas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Seven unidentified armed suspects were killed in an encounter with a Mexican Army road patrol in Tamaulipas state Friday evening, according to Mexican news accounts.

A news account published on the website of Milenio news daily said that the gunfire exchange took place in Ciudad Victoria, the state capital of Tamaulipas at around 1700 hrs near ejido Estacion Caballero, near the PEMEX facility east of the city.

The suspects were travelling aboard two vehicles when they were observed by a Mexican Army unit.  A pursuit ensued which ended in gunfire.  Among the seven dead were two women.  Four rifles were also secured in the aftermath.

Separately, one armed suspect was killed in an encounter with a Mexican Army unit in Reynosa, according to the same report posted on Milenio news daily Friday night.

The encounter took place on Bulevar Colosio in Obrera colony when the army road patrol came under small arms fire from suspects who were travelling aboard a vehicle.  Army return fire killed one suspect.  One rifle was seized following the conclusion of the encounter.

Five other individuals were killed in ongoing drug and gang violence in Tamaulipas state, according to several Mexican news accounts.

• Four unidentified car buyers from Michoacan state were killed in an apparent kidnapping.  The victims arrived in Tamaulipas January 10th to close a purchase when they were kidnapped.  Despite the family's protestations the ransom demands were met in full, the four were killed.
• An unidentified man in his 30s were found beaten to death and dismembered on the highway between Ciudad Victoria and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Thursday night.  The victim was found when a vehicle hit the remains on the road.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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New fighting erupts Saturday morning in Nuevo Laredo: 10 die

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Fighting between drug gangs and Mexican security forces began anew early Saturday morning in Nuevo Laredo, killing 10 armed suspects, according to Mexican news accounts, Twitter accounts and narcoboard postings.

According to a post in Mforos.com, gunfire was exchanged in numerous colonies in Nuevo Laredo beginning at 0230 hrs. The colonies affected included, Infonavit, Benito Juarez and San Rafael colonies in western sectors of the city.

According to the account, units of the Mexican Army observed a convoy of vehicles, and as the drivers of the convoy were signalled to stop, soldiers were fired on, sparking a pursuit and gunfight.

A second pursuit and gunfight took place about 20 minutes later when a separate Mexican security forces convoy came under gunfire and pursuit. The exchange of gunfire included Mexican Army, Mexican Naval infantry and Tamaulipas state police units.

The fighting lasted until 0420 hrs.

According to a late report posted on the website of Proceso newsweekly, local government sources claim they have counted a total of 10 armed suspects dead in six separate engagements.

Father south in Ciudad Victoria, the state capital of Tamaulipas, one armed suspect was killed in an armed confrontation between a Mexican Army road patrol and two armed suspects Friday. According to news posted on the website of Milenio news daily, the two suspects fired on the Mexican Army unit from a vehicle.

Mexican Army return fire killed on suspects. The news story does not state the second suspect had been detained so it is presumed the second suspect escaped the shootout.

One pistol and the vehicle was seized following the conclusion of the encounter.

New Los Zetas Group Appears

According to a news item posted on the website of Noticias-mexico.com website, a news story on Saturday morning's firefights had been appended with an announcement of the formation of a new separate Los Zetas group, according to the translation, opposed to Los Zetas' leader Miguel Trevino, who has apparently assumed leadership of the gang in the wake of the shooting death of Heriberto Lazcano Lazcno at a baseball field in Coahuila earlier this month.

The group has dubbed itself Los Legionarios, which has been described as a renegade Los Zetas group. The announcement said that Trevino, known as Z40, had a hand in the death of Lazcano Lazcano.

It is unclear if Saturday morning shootouts had anything to do with the formation of the new group. Blog del Narco has claimed fighing has erupted between shooters aligned with Z40 and the new Los Legionarios group, which has reportedly killed eight.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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4 die in Nuevo Laredo gunfight

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Four unidentified armed suspects were killed Thursday in an armed confrontation in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, according to Mexican news reports.

A news report appearing Thursday evening on the website of El Sol de Mexico said that a unit of the Mexican 8th Military Zone encountered armed suspects travelling aboard a vehicle on Bulevar Aeropuerto in Voluntad y Trabajo colony at around 0930 Thursday morning.

Army gunfire killed four suspects.  A tota lof four rifles, undisclosed quantities of weapons magazines and ammunition were seized as well as one vehicles.

According to a news item posted on the website of Milenio news daily Thursday night, the four dead were identified as escapees from the Piedras Negras, Coahuila Centro Readaptacion Social (CERESO) prison, which took place last month.  A total of 132 inmates, reportedly members of the Los Zetas criminal gang, escaped.  A total of 104 inmates remain at large.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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33 dead found in Calera municipality in Zacatecas

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

As Mexican security forces field units conduct searches for graves in Calera municipality in Zacatecas state, the Procuraduria General de Estado (PGE), or state attorney general Arturo Nahle Garcia, announced Wednesday that the genetic profiles of 33 different individuals have been made from remains discovered more a year ago, according to Mexican news accounts.

Arturo Nahle Garcia

A news item posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas new daily said that the the remains from 43,000 body parts have been identified with the help of students from the Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas after they were discovered in July, 2011.

Mexican Army units at the time discovered 14 mass graves near the village of Las Negritas in late July, 2011.

The identity of four of the 33 individuals have already been determined, including a woman and two children as well as a man identified as Ernesto Cordero Anguiano.

Cordero Anguiano was reported missing in December, 2010 as part of a group of eight hunters from Guanajuato who were in Sierra de Morones when they went missing.
You read about the Las Negritas narcofosa find in 2011, by clicking here
On Tuesday morning, a unit of the Proteccion Civil staff from Fresnillo municipality located 11 metal drums and several clothing items near Rancho Los Angeles, which is in Calera municipality and near Los Negritos.  The drums were rusted and had been perforated with gunshots.

A Mexican Naval Infantry unit was later called to the location to  assist in the search for graves.

Nahle Garcia later released information that the drums did not appear to have any genetic material or remains,but were slated to be tested.

The original find in late July was made just after a large counternarcotics operation involving Mexican Army, Mexican Navy and Policia Federal troops ended in Jalisco and Zacatecas states in June, 2011.

Meanwhile, two unidentified armed suspects were killed in an armed encounter with a Mexican Army unit in Panfilo Natera municipality late Monday morning.

According to a separate article posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas, the army road patrol exchanged gunfire with an unknown number of armed suspects, killing two near El Rancho el Tejaban.

The description of the encounter suggested the road patrol happened upon a static armed encampment.

Following the conclusion of the firefight, soldiers seized eight AR-15 rifles, seven AK-47 rifles, 24 40mm grenades, four grenade launcher attachments, 217 weapons magazine, radios, tactical gear and one hand grenade.

Among the eight vehicles seized were one Dodge Ram pickup truck,  one Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, one Ford Expedition SUV,  two GMC Sierra pickup trucks and three Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup trucks.

Two motorcycles were also seized at the scene.

Chris Covert writes Mexican drug war and national political news for Rantburg.com

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6 armed suspects die in shootouts in Tamaulipas

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of six armed suspects were killed in two separate incidents in Tamaulipas state Sunday, according to Mexican news reports.

A news dispatch posted on the website of El Diario de Coahuila news daily reported that three armed suspects died in a shootout early Sunday morning at around 0130 hrs with a Mexican Army unit on the Matamoros to Ciudad Victoria highway, at the Kilometer 190 marker north of San Fernando municipality.

The report condensed an official report from Secretaria de Defensa Nacional (SEDENA), the controlling agency for the Mexican Army,  that said that armed suspects had fired on an army unit forcing them to return fire.

Following the encounter soldiers seized undisclosed quantities of rifles, weapons magazines and ammunition as well as one vehicle at the scene.

Meanwhile, at around 0730 hrs Sunday morning in Nuevo Laredo municipality, a Mexican Army exchanged gunfire with armed suspects near the interssection of Privada Quita and Privada Londres in Villas de la Fe colony.

Three armed suspects were killed in the gunfight.  Undisclosed numbers of rifles, weapons magazines, ammunition and one vehicle were seized in the aftermath.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican Army bags 10 armed suspects in Veracruz state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of ten armed suspects were killed in an armed encounter with a Mexican Army road patrol in Veracruz state Saturday night, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to a news item posted on the website of El Universal news daily, the firefight took place in the village of El Recreo in Panuco municipality, which in the northern sector of the state.

The unit came under small arms fire which was returned by the army unit, killing 10 armed suspects.

Following the end of the encounter soldiers seized 15 rifles, 10 pistols, 67 weapons magazines, 2,143 rounds of ammunition, one grenade launcher attachment, one grenade, one gas grenade and four vehicles.  Military uniforms were also found at the scene.

The VI Military Region, the parent unit of the road patrol involved in the gun battle is part of Seguro Veracruz, one of several security programs operated by Mexico's military throughout Mexico.

Seguro Veracruz is expected to survive the inauguration of the president elect Pena Nieto administration December 1st, according to Mexican news reports.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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3 die in Reynosa in Tamaulipas

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Drug and gang related violence continued in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas as two armed suspects and a Mexican Army soldier were killed in separate gunfights in northern Tamaulipas, according to Mexican news accounts.

A news item posted on the website of El Sol de Mexico Saturday reported a Mexican Army road patrol in a gap that connects to Rio Bravo municipality with Mexico Federal Highway 2, came under small arms fire from an armed group of unknown size.

Army counterfire killed one suspect.  One Mexican soldier also died in the encounter.  One vehicle was seized following the firefight.

Separately a Mexican Army road patrol came under small arms fire in Reynosa municipality in Jarachina colony by another group of armed suspects.  Army return fire killed one armed suspect.

Soldiers secured five rifles and a vehicle following the gunfight.

Also separately a Twitter report said that armed civilians, men and women, were observed on the Reynosa to San Fernando highway at around Kilometer 72 at around 1800 hrs Saturday evening, travelling aboard a GMC Tahoe SUV, a Chevrolet Suburban SUV and a third truck.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com.

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11 die in shootouts in Tamaulipas state

UPDATED
By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Gunfights and roadblocks in Matamoros and Reynosa in Tamaulipas state has left a toll of nine armed suspects  and two soldiers dead, according to Mexican news, narcoboard and Twitter accounts.

An article posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily said that shootouts began 1100 hrs Friday morning on the Reynosa to Tamaulipas highway near the villages of Empalme and Control Ramirez, and continued towards Lauro Villar  colony near avenidas Del Niño, 12 de Marzo and Marte R Gomez, Libramiento Emilio Portes Gil and  Avenida Lauro Villa until 1330 hrs.

Initially, press reports stated that no one has been hurt in the armed confrontation, however a later dispatch posted on he website of Proceso news weekly said that unidentified Tamaulipas officials confirmed nine armed suspects and two soldiers had been killed and several Mexican federal security forces effectives have been wounded.

The Proceso report said that a pursuit and subsequent gunfight ended at Playa Bagdad on Kilometer 15 of the Reynosa to Matomoros highway.

According to a separate news report posted on the website of Proceso news weekly, a Mexican federal forces raid on a residence in Modelo colony on Calle Santos Degollado, presumably on Thursday may have sparked the reaction by local drug gangs, to include roadblocks, which are a favorite tactic of drug gangs in cities.

The raid has reportedly netted Mexican security forces the capture of a  local drug gang leader, although the suspect's identity has yet to be released.

Separately, a tweet released described a Mexican Naval infantry unit  responding to a call at Kilometer 57 of Mexico Federal Highway 2 between Matamoros and Reynosa at around 0130 hrs Friday morning where three vehicles were found abandoned.  One of the vehicles, a Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup truck had a dead body inside.  two other abandoned sedans were also found at the scene.

The marine unit subsequently searched the area finding two unidentified armed suspects aboard a GMC Yukon SUV.  The two suspects surrendered to the marine unit without firing a shot.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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6 die in Zacatecas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of six unidentified individuals were killed in separate encounters in Zacatecas state Thursday and Friday, according to official Mexican government and private news sources.

A Mexican Army unit with the 11th Military Zone came under small arms fire while on patrol in Garcia de la Cadena municipality near the village of Las Higueras Friday.  Soldiers in the patrol unit observed a convoy with several vehicles, and exchanged gunfire with the convoy's occupants.

Mexican Army counterfire killed four armed suspects.  Following the firefight, soldiers seized two AK-47 rifles, one AR-15 rifle, one FAL 7.62mm NATO rifle, 39 weapons magazines, an undisclosed quantity of ammunition and a BMW SUV.

In a separate incident, reported in a web report posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily, two unidentified individuals were killed and another female victim was wounded in an armed attack on a taxi in the village of Encino Mocho in Jerez municipality Thursday evening. 

A total of five unidentified individuals were killed in an armed encounter with a Mexican Army unit in the same village at about the same time.  According to the latest news report, an army unit was tasked with providing protection for the female victim in the taxi attack as she received medical attention.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican Army kills 1, wounds 3, rescues 5 in Tamaulipas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Mexican Army units operating in Tamaulipas state killed one armed suspect and rescued five individuals in separate actions Wednesday and Thursday, according to official Mexican government news sources.

A Mexican Army road patrol in Valle Hermoso municipality near the village of El Empalme came under small arms fire from an armed group of unknown size Thursday.  Army return fire killed one and wounded two armed suspects.  presumably the rest of the armed group escaped the encounter.

Following the conclusion of the firefight, soldiers seized three rifles, one handgun, tactical gear and a vehicle.

Separately on Wednesday, a Mexican Army unit on patrol in Reynosa municipality came under small arms fire.  Army return fire wounded one unidentified armed suspect. Five unidentified individuals were also released from capture following the armed encounter. 

Following the firefight, soldiers seized 32 rifles, one 40mm grenade launcher and seven vehicles, two of which were armored.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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11 die in Zacatecas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of 11 individuals were killed in several shootouts and executions Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday in Zacatecas state, including a shootout between a elements of a Mexican Army road patrol and armed suspects, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to a news item posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily, a Mexican Army patrol encountered armed suspects in Jerez municipality near the village of Encino Mocho Thursday evening.

The armed suspects were reportedly members of the Gulf Cartel (CDG), and had fired on the army unit.  Army return fire killed five and critically wounded one armed suspect.  Four soldiers were hurt in the encounter from the pursuit which presumably ended with the firefight.

A week ago, a Mexican Naval Infantry unit encountered armed suspects in Enrique Estrada municipality, about 20 kilometers due east of Jerez municipality.
You read about the armed confrontation between a Mexican marine unit and armed suspects by clicking here
Six unidentified individuals were murdered or were found dead in ongoing drug and gang related violence in Zacatecas state last Wednesday and Sunday, according to several items which appeared in the web edition of El Sol de Zacatecas.

• Three individuals were shot to death in a shooting at a drinking establishment in Zacatecas municipality last Sunday.  According to the news item, armed suspects dismounted a Nisaan Sentra sedan at about 2100 hrs at Meolodramas on Avenida Francisco García Salinas in Lomas del Campestre colony, and fired their weapons inside the establishment before fleeing the scene.  The owner, identified as Leonardo Rojas Mora, and two employees died at the scene.
• A man was found shot to death in Sombrerete municipality near the village of Benito Juarez Wednesday morning.  The victim was identified as  Rolando Gonzalez Aldaba,  The report said the victim had been tortured and shot and, probably had a nexus to organized crime.
• A Mexican Army unit found two unidentified bodies in Villanueva municipality near the village of San Juan Wednesday. The victims had been tortured and shot.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican security forces reinforce Coahuila in wake of shooting

You can read the BorderlandBeat.com account of the murder of Jose Eduardo Moreira Rodriquez here.

Foto de Twitter

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com


An undisclosed number of Mexican federal security troops have been deployed to northern Coahuila state in the wake of the shooting of the nephew of Coahuila state governor Ruben Moreira Valdes.  He is also the son of former Coahuila governor Humberto Moreira Valdes, Wednesday night, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to a news report posted on the Borderland Beat website, Jose Eduardo Moreira Rodriquez, 28, was found shot to death near the village of Santa Eulalia, near the border city of Ciudad Acuna Wednesday night.   Moreira Rodriquez was apparently engaged in work for the poor as regional coordinator of social programs of the Department of State Development.

Foto de Twitter

Ciudad Acuna, which is less than 40 kilometers from Piedras Negras, has been the scene of a number of shootings and security incidents, which like Piedras Negras stem from a prison break in Piedras Negras September 17th.

Until the murder of Moreira Rodriquez, Mexican federal response to the numerous shootings in the area has been tepid.  Much of Mexico's security in the state is concentrated in the east of the state in support of Operacion Noreste, which is itself centered in Tamaulipas state and Seguro Laguna, which is centered in La Laguna, where Torreon, Coahuila and Gomez Palacio, Durango form a sort of twin city metropoitan area.

According to various tweets and news story, including an item posted on the website of Vangardia news daily, Mexican naval infantry and Policia Federal troops arrived in the airport at Plan de Guaralupe in Ramos Arizpe municipality, near Saltillo, the state capital of Coahuila state.  Other tweets have said that other federal investigatory units, characterized as elite, have been spotted in Ciudad Acuna, barely 24 hours after the murder of Moreira Rodriquez.

Foto de Twitter

Mexican Army and Naval Infantry troops, originally spotted at the Government palace in Saltillo, where security meetings were held including military officials, were later seen heading north towards Ciudad Acuna and Piedras Negras, according to Twitter accounts.  Saltillo is also the location for the headquarters for the Mexican 6th Military Zone.

High level military officials attending included Admiral Jose Santiago Álvarez Valdés , Chief of the General Staff of the Mexican Navy, and General Alcazar Noah Sandoval, commander of the Ninth Military Region. and General Dagoberto Espinosa Rodríguez, commander of trhe 6th Military Zone.

Chris Covert writes Mexica Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican security forces bag 6 armed suspects in Coahuila state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of six armed suspects were killed by Mexican security forces in three separate incidents in northern Coahuila state Wednesday, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to a news story posted on the website of El Diario de Coahuila news daily, a unit of the Coahuila state Grupo Armas y Tacticos Especiales (GATE) encountered a suspect who was travelling aboard a Volkswagen Golf sedan in Piedras Negras municipality.  The police unit located the suspect near the intersection of Libramiento Sur and Calle Rio Usumacinta in Nueva Americana colony at around 1700 hrs.

The deceased was identified by fingerprints as José Guadalupe Leija Camarillo, who had escaped from the Centro de Readaptacion Social (CERESO) in Piedra Negras municipality September 17th.  Mexican press had previously reported that many of the escapees were members of the Los Zetas criminal gang.

At the scene police seized one AK-47 rifle, one Barrett .50 caliber rifle, boots, radio equipment and "stars" used to puncture automobile tires.

A second incident took place also in Piedras Negras municipality at around 1830 hrs near the intersection of Libramiento Perez Treviño and Calle Durango in Las Torres colony, where a unit of the Coahuila GATE encountered armed suspects travelling aboard a Mazda vehicle.

Two unidentified suspects died in the encounter and another four were detained at the scene.  Police also seized an AK-47 assault rifle, weapons magazines, radio equipment and "stars".

En Saltillo

In a separate report which appeared in El Diario de Coahuila news daily, in the Ejido Huachichil, about 50 kilometers from Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila state, three unidentified armed suspects were killed and two others were detained following a shoplifting incident at a local grocery store.  Of the two captives, one was identified as an escapee from Piedra Negras, Roberto Elizondo Francisco Lopez.

A group of as many as 14 suspects had entered and had allegedly stolen food from a grocery store, and as they were heading away, they were encountered by a Mexican Army road patrol.  According to the report, the latest incident was on of a series of incidents except the last time was with 14 suspects and was much more violent.

The news story fails to make clear where the three armed suspects died, only that a pursuit took place with suspects attempting to flee into the mountains aboard a Nissan Murano SUV.  The pursuit ended near a gypsum mine near ejido El Esporon, where two suspects were captured and two other vehicles were recovered.

Additional weapons were also recovered at the scene but the description of the haul was not disclosed.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican Army bags 10 armed suspects in Guerrero state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Foto: Telesur

One unidentified Mexican soldier and total of 10 unidentified armed suspects, including one female were killed in a gunfight in northern Guerrero state Wednesday morning, according to Mexican news accounts.

An article which appeared on the website of Milenio news daily said that a Mexican Army road patrol, identified as an element of the Mexican 27th Infantry Battalion, encountered armed suspects who were travelling aboard two vehicles in Tepecpacuilco municipality, which opened fire on the patrol after being signalled to stop.  The gunfight took place in La Moneda colony near the village of Rincon de la Cocina.

A separate wire service dispatch posted on holaciudad.com news website said the gunfight took place in Santiago Apostol chapel near Cerro de Jumil, where the suspects had apparently abandoned their vehicles to seek refuge.

Another report from the Reuters wire service posted on ntn24.com said that two unidentified civilians who had been abducted by the armed group were wounded in the firefight.  The report adds that La Familia Michoacana and Los Pelones criminal gangs  operate in the area.

Following the end of the firefight, soldiers seized two vehicles, five AK-47 rifles, five AR-15 rifles, two .380 caliber pistols and 65 bags of marijuana.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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Mexican Army rescues 2 in Guerrero state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

One unidentified armed suspect was killed and two unidentified kidnapping victims were rescued following an intense firefight between a Mexican Army unit and alleged kidnappers, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to an article posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily Tuesday night, an armed criminal group associated with  Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) encountered an army road patrol along the Lazaro Cardenas-Zihuatanejo highway in La Union municipality in Guerrero state.

Armed suspects opened fire on the army unit.  Army return fire and the ensuing gunfight killed one armed suspect. Six other suspects surrendered, presumably ending the gun battle.

The two victim were travelling on the Lazaro Cardenas-Zihuatanejo highway bound for Acapulco municipality, when the armed suspects who were travelling aboard three vehicles blocked their way, and then forced them into the vehicles at gunpoint.  The victims were being transported to a criminal safe house when the army unit happened upon them, initiating the gunfight.

Seized following the firefight was one 9mm handgun, seven rifles and three vehicles, one Niddan Tiida, one Nissan Tsuru and one sedan.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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6 die in shootouts in Tamaulipas state

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A total of six unidentified armed suspects were killed by Mexican security forces in two separate shootouts in Tamaulipas state Tuesday, according to Mexican news accounts.

A news item posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily reported a joint news release by the Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado (PGJE) and the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica (SSP), stating the two incidents.  All the incidents involved units of the Mexican Army.

The first took place, according to the news item, in Ciudad Victoria, the state capitol of Tamaulipas near the intersection of calles Paseo de los Olmos and Olmo Siberiano in Los Olivos colony, where federal security forces killed an unidentified man in his late 30s who was driving a Honda Accord sedan.   Several rifles were found aboard the vehicle.

In the trunk of the car an unidentified 18 year old man was found who had apparently been kidnapped.  The victim also suffered minor 
wounds from the shootout, but is expected to survive.

The second incident took place at around 1130 hrs on the Ciudad Victoria-Llera road at Kilometer 199 near a ranch four kilometers away where five unidentified civilians were killed, presumably by Mexican federal security forces. 

Seized in the aftermath were four rifles and four vehicles, two of which were stolen.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com

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