Protests Gather in Mexico City on Eighth Anniversary of Student Disappearance
Demonstrators gathered to protest President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador’s failure to provide justice for the families of the forty-three students from the Ayozinapa Rural Teachers College that went missing during a trip to Mexico City in 2014 (Reuters)
Additionally, ten people were killed when a group of armed gunmen opened fire on a bar in the town of Tarimoro in Mexico’s Guanajuato state (Reuters)
Mexico’s Congress Votes to Extend Army Street Presence Until 2028
Mexico’s lower house of Congress voted to maintain the army’s street presence until 2028 in response to recent outbreaks of cartel violence (Reuters)
In addition, Mexican authorities arrested retired general Jose Rodriguez for his connection to the 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers in the town of Iguala, making him the highest-ranking military officer to be detained over the incident (Reuters)
Cartel Attack Kills Two in Northern Mexico
Two utility workers from a state-owned electrical power company were killed when cartel members opened fire on their trucks in the northern border state of Sonora (Associated Press)
Mexico Police Kill Thirteen in a Shootout
Mexican police killed thirteen alleged gang members in a shootout Thursday; that same day, police captured four people burying an officer and a relative (CBS)
Mexico Investigates Former President for Financial Crimes
Mexico’s attorney general’s office has begun investigating former President Enrique Peña Nieto for money laundering and other financial crimes, according to two sources familiar with matter (Reuters)
Assailants Shoot Dead Nightclub Owner in Acapulco, Mexico
Unknown assailants opened fire outside of a nightclub in Acapulco, Mexico, killing the owner as a string of shootings at local nightclubs over the past several months continues (CBS)
Mexico City Police Bust 1.6 Ton Cocaine Shipment
Mexico City police busted freight trucks carrying 1.6 tons of cocaine, which the city’s police chief say was headed for Mexico City and Los Angeles from Colombia (CBS)
Shooting Kills Six in Drug Rehabilitation Center in Guadalajara, Mexico
Six people were shot dead at a drug rehabilitation center near Guadalajara; while officials have not commented on the identity of the shooters, drug rehabilitation centers have previously been targeted by drug gangs to kill dealers or users affiliated with rival gangs (CBS)
United States and Mexico Begin Extradition Process for Captured Crime Boss
On Friday, Mexican law enforcement captured Rafael Caro Quintero, a crime boss who is wanted in the United States for the 1985 killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent; the countries have begun the extradition process (Associated Press)
Mexico Agrees to Pay $1.5 Billion to Help Manage U.S. Immigration
Mexico has agreed to provide approximately $1.5 billion to support construction projects aimed towards strengthening U.S. migrant screening and processing abilities (NBC)
Seven Family Members Shot and Killed in Mexico
Seven members of a family, including a minor in Mexico, were murdered at their home in the Veracruz state of Mexico; an investigation has been launched amid heightened scrutiny of President Lopez Obrador’s security strategy (CBS)
Meanwhile, Journalist Antonio de la Cruz was shot and killed while leaving his house in the state of Tamaulipas; he is the twelfth Mexican journalist to be killed this year (The Guardian)
Meanwhile, four handcuffed corpses were found in the wreckage of a helicopter which appeared to have been intentionally burned, accompanied by criminal messages written on cardboard which authorities say implies cartel involvement (CBS)
Two Mexicans Charged for Death of At Least Fifty-One Migrants in Texas Truck
At least fifty-one migrants, including twenty-two Mexicans, were found dead inside of a truck after being smuggled to the United States in a hot tractor-trailer that was abandoned in Texas; two Mexican nationals have been charged in the United States in connection with the deaths (Reuters)
At Least Twelve Killed In Ambush-Style Shooting Between Police and Gunmen in Western Mexico
Four police officers in El Salto, Mexico were shot dead in an ambush by armed gunmen, eight of whom were killed by reinforcements before several arrests were made (CBS)
Separately, eight unidentified bodies were found in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula; prosecutors said the bodies are probably those of eight men abducted from a ranch in Xcalak, Mexico—a town which had largely escaped the violence of neighboring cities in Quintana Roo state (ABC)
Two Jesuit Priests and Tour Guide Killed by Gunmen in Mexican Church
Two Jesuit priests were killed alongside a tour guide who had entered a church in Mexico’s Chihuahua state pursued by gunmen (Washington Post)
Meanwhile, two Canadians were found dead with knife wounds in the Playa del Carmen resort (Guardian)
Thieves Steal Gold, Silver, and TVs from Mexican Seaport; Mexican Politician Lynched After WhatsApp Rumors of Kidnapping Involvement
Thieves broke into freight storage containers filled with gold and silver ore and television sets at the Pacific seaport of Manzanillo, Mexico; the head of Mexico’s customs service confirmed the robbery was a “very serious organized crime operation” (CBS)
Meanwhile, a political advisor to the Chamber of Deputies, Daniel Picazo, was beaten and set on fire by a mob due to local rumors of his involvement in the kidnapping of a child spread on WhatsApp; police have not yet arrested anyone for the murder (BBC)
Bodies of Seven Men Found Dumped in Huasteca, Mexico
The bodies of seven men were found dumped on a road in Huasteca, Mexico, with threatening messages containing apparent references to gangs written on their corpses (CBS)
Gunmen Kill Five High School Students and One Woman in Street Shooting in Mexico
Local authorities confirmed the death of five high school students and an adult woman in an assault by gunmen in Guanajuato, Mexico, where a struggle between two cartels has resulted in several massacres in the preceding months (CBS).
One Killed, Six Injured During Shootings in Cancun, Mexico
One person was killed and six others were wounded during several shootings in Cancun, Mexico on Friday (Associated Press)
Ninth Journalist Killed in Mexico This Year
Luis Enrique Ramirez Ramos became the ninth Mexican journalist to be murdered this year, according to Reporters Without Borders (Al Jazeera)
Gunmen Kill Family of Eight North of Mexico City
Eight members of a family, including four children, were killed by gunmen in their home just north of Mexico City (Associated Press)
Separately, the United Nations said Mexico must act immediately to tackle an alarming rise in disappearances perpetrated by organized crime (Agence France-Presse)
Shootout in Acapulco, Mexico Kills Three
At least three people were killed during a shooting and police chase in Acapulco, Mexico, which has been plagued by gang violence since 2006 (CBS)
Gunmen Kill Twenty in Mexico’s Michoacán State
At least twenty people were killed during a mass shooting in central Mexico, after gunmen reportedly stormed a cockfighting pit and shot at attendees (Al Jazeera)
Firefight in Mexico Leaves Five Suspected Cartel Gunmen Dead
Five suspected cartel gunmen were killed during a firefight between gangs in the Mexican state of Michoacán (Associated Press)
Nine Killed in Drug-Related Shooting in Mexico
Nine people died during a shooting attack on a drug house in Mexico’s Pubela state (Associated Press)
Seventh Journalist Killed in Mexico
Juan Carlos Muñiz was killed in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, making him the seventh Mexican journalist killed this year (Associated Press)