On Wednesday, five police officers in Michoacan, a state in Mexico known for its violence, were killed, and five others were injured in an assault, occurring just before the opening of the World Cup in Mexico City, according to local officials.
The attack, carried out by unidentified assailants, took place in an Indigenous area of the western state, which struggles with cartel-related violence, as reported by the state government.
Images obtained by AFP show the officers’ pickup truck extensively damaged by gunfire.
The Moriela Police Department confirmed the identities of the deceased officers in a social media update, naming them as Porfirio Rodriguez Briseno, Brandon Josue Zamora Torres, Francisco Javier Otero Damas, Jonatan Mondragon Servin, and Mateo Valdez Abarca.
Jose Pablo Alarcon Olemdo, the former chief of police in the city, expressed his sympathies to the families and friends of the victims. He stated on social media that those responsible for the attack must be apprehended and face justice.
The incident occurred in Nahuatzen, a municipality populated by the Purepecha community, where the notorious New Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is known to operate.
In May, the murder of a local mayor, allegedly linked to the CJNG, sparked widespread protests against state authorities, with many residents expressing frustration over their perceived inability to address the growing violence.
Morelia, the capital of Michoacan, is located approximately 300 kilometers from both Mexico City and Guadalajara, another host city for the World Cup.
The state’s security department has launched a manhunt for those responsible for the recent attack.
The Mexican government has asserted that there is no safety threat to fans attending the World Cup. Mexico is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the United States. This week, the U.S. Embassy noted that safety conditions in Mexico can vary significantly by region, leading to individualized travel advisories for each state issued by the U.S. State Department.
In late April, Mexican military forces captured a top leader of the CJNG in the northwest region of the country, two months following the death of the cartel’s previous leader. Audias Flores Silva, known as “El Jardinero” or The Gardener, was regarded as a potential successor to the deceased leader. The U.S. had placed a $5 million bounty on information leading to his capture.
Flores Silva was considered a likely successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” who was killed in a high-profile military operation in February. Following “El Mencho’s” death, cartel violence surged, resulting in a series of attacks on businesses, vehicle burnings, and road blockades that claimed the lives of over 70 individuals, including 25 members of the National Guard.
