In Chiapas, Mexico, a violent clash between hitmen representing the Sinaloa, Chiapas and Guatemala cartels resulted in the death of 19 individuals over the weekend. The Mexican government’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) confirmed the discovery of 19 bodies inside a truck on a road connecting Jaltenango de la Paz with La Reforma.
On Saturday, June 29, reports surfaced that lifeless bodies were found in a cargo truck on the same road. A video circulated on social media showed individuals claiming to be part of the Sinaloa Cartel and alleging that the victims were linked to a rival organization operating between Chiapas and Guatemala. The incident saw 15 men murdered by gunfire in the back of the truck, with two more in the cabin and two to the side, all displaying signs of large-caliber bullet impacts.
In response to the discovery, the federal government dispatched 200 agents to enhance security in the region. The State Attorney General’s Office of Chiapas reported that five individuals were discovered inside a dump truck on June 30, each having suffered gunshot wounds. Further investigations revealed an additional 14 corpses inside the same truck, all clothed in dark attire and tactical gear and each possessing firearm magazines. The identities of six victims were disclosed while remaining 13 yet to be identified as investigation into violent incident proceeded.
The rising homicide rates in Mexico are concerning as May recorded 2657 cases which is alarming despite a decrease of 4.18% compared to previous year but still rise in violent acts amid political tensions. The consecutive years of declining homicide rates followed peak violence during 2019 and 2020 where more than 34000 individuals fell victim to fatal attacks each year as reported by SSPC
