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On Wednesday, armed groups in Mexico set vehicles ablaze and obstructed roads as a violent conflict continued between the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel and various local criminal organizations, according to police and local news reports.
Attacks included gunmen commandeering cargo trucks and igniting them on a highway that links Mexico City with Guadalajara. Furthermore, police documented at least 18 similar incidents in the nearby states of Michoacán and Guanajuato.
A source from the Michoacán police, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, suggested that these violent acts were a retaliatory response from the Jalisco New Generation cartel to a recent military operation in the region.
By Wednesday evening, local media confirmed that the fires had been extinguished, roads had been cleared, and fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
The Mexican government has been in an ongoing battle against drug trafficking organizations since declaring war on them in 2006, which has resulted in significant national violence, with approximately 480,000 murders recorded over the past 19 years.
In February, former U.S. President Donald Trump classified the Jalisco New Generation cartel as a terrorist entity. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that about 19,000 individuals are affiliated with this cartel, which emerged as a highly violent force following its separation from the Sinaloa cartel after the military’s elimination of Sinaloa leader Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal in 2010.
The cartel faces serious allegations, including recruiting members through fraudulent job postings and resorting to torture and murder for those who attempt to resist its demands. Recently, a group searching for missing persons uncovered charred bones, clothing, and footwear at a suspected training site associated with the cartel.
The Jalisco cartel is currently under the leadership of Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, who is the target of a $15 million reward from the U.S. government for information leading to his arrest. Oseguera gained renewed public attention this past weekend when his likeness was displayed during a performance at a music festival in Jalisco.
In a recent development, Oseguera’s wife, Rosalinda Gonzalez, was released from a Mexican prison after serving a five-year sentence. She had been incarcerated following her 2021 arrest related to her involvement in the financial operations of an organized crime group. Notably, her release coincided with the transfer of 29 drug traffickers from Mexican prisons to the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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