Mexico Investigates Soldiers’ Alleged Extrajudicial Killing of Cartel Gunmen 

Government officials announced the investigation into the alleged extra-judicial killing of five cartel gunmen at the hands of a group of Mexican soldiers. The killings allegedly took place in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

The alleged killings of five cartel gunmen went public on Tuesday evening after human rights activists leaked a video to various national news outlets in Mexico. The video allegedly showed a group of Mexican Army soldiers detaining a group of cartel gunmen. Soon after a separate group of gunmen who appear to be out of sight begin shooting at the soldiers forcing them to take cover.

The soldiers appear to shoot back at the unseen gunmen and allegedly shoot at the captured ones. The shooting apparently took place on May 18 in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The leaked video caused a media firestorm in Mexico with journalists asking Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador about the case during his morning news conference.

Lopez Obrador confirmed that the video appeared to show an extrajudicial killing and that his government would investigate. Mexico’s Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) sent a statement announcing an investigation by Mexico’s Attorney General and the cooperation by military forces. SEDENA also announced a separate investigation by military officials.

The shooting in Nuevo Laredo comes at a time when the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas has been responsible for hundreds of clandestine graves and forced disappearances in northern Mexico. That criminal organization has full control of Nuevo Laredo and routinely sends out squads of gunmen in armored SUVs with high-powered weapons to patrol the city just like a police or military force would. For the most part, the CDN-Los Zetas operate with almost complete impunity in Nuevo Laredo while local and state officials routinely claim that the city is safe.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.