Authorities in the coastal state of Guerrero are trying to downplay a shootout where at least 17 cartel gunmen died, and several bodies were incinerated. The mass killing comes as Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador continues to claim to have decreased violence and ended criminals acting with impunity in his country.
The violence took place this week in a rural area near the San Miguel de Totolapan community in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The issue was brought to light by various videos that cartel gunmen shared on social media, where they could be seen dragging the bodies of their rivals, piling them up, and then setting them on fire.
The clash took place between gunmen from La Familia Michaocana and a rival cartel known as Los Tlacos. Preliminary information points to the gunmen from La Familia having lost the battle and at least 16 of the bodies belonging to that faction.
Guerrero continues to be one of the most violent states in Mexico, where multiple rival cartels have been fighting fierce turf wars for years. In recent weeks, Catholic Church officials had met with various cartel leaders in an attempt to broker an armistice. Local news outlets claim that La Familia Michoacana did not take part in the peace talks.
The extreme violence in Michoacan comes as Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been harshly criticized for his refusal to fight drug cartels openly. Instead, he claims to focus on social issues. His political rivals have accused him of having taken money from drug cartels and provided them with protection.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and other areas to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by Jose Luis Lara, a former leading member who helped start the Self-Defense Movement in Michoacán.