REPORTS: Mexican Cartels Use Chemical Weapons on Rivals, Civilians in Escalating Turf War

One of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels reportedly turned to the use of chemical weapons in their ongoing struggle with rival criminal organizations. This region in Western Mexico is experiencing an escalating spike in violence where cartels have been manufacturing explosive devices, weaponized drones, armored vehicles, and mortars. At the same time, government officials help one faction or another for profit instead of bringing peace to the region.

In recent days, the mayor of Coahuayana, Michoacan, issued a statement confirming that more than 100 gunmen from Cartel Jalisco New Generation had been trying to invade the municipality.

As part of their strategy, the CJNG gunmen had not only been using high-powered weapons but drones that dropped “explosive devices with C-4”  and other devices with some chemicals that suffocate people, according to local reports.

The statement revealed that the gunmen had managed to take over three small communities near the border between Michoacan and Colima.

Since the start of the violence, Mexican federal authorities have done little to stop not only CJNG but also the various smaller criminal organizations that operate in the region. This rising violence led to an exodus of sorts where locals fled their homes to other communities. The fleeing victims claimed that authorities had done nothing to stop or push out the CJNG gunmen, Mexico’s Proceso reported.

The region of Coahuayana and its pristine beaches have a long history of being used by drug trafficking organizations to receive small crafts with large cocaine shipments that are then stored in the region and moved into the central part of Mexico or towards the northern border.

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.