Mexico has deployed thousands of soldiers to bolster security after a wave of violence erupted following the death of a powerful drug lord, the country’s security minister has said.
Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said an extra 2,500 soldiers had been sent to western Mexico on Monday, with the government saying about 9,500 troops have been deployed overall since Sunday.
At least 20 states have seen unrest since Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes – better known as “El Mencho” – died in custody on Sunday shortly after being captured by Mexican special forces in Jalisco state.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is one of Mexico’s most feared criminal organisations and its leader was the country’s most wanted man.
At least 25 members of Mexico’s National Guard have died in Jalisco state since the violence erupted, the country’s security minister said.
El Mencho was captured after forces tracked down a romantic partner he was meeting, according to defence secretary Trevilla.
The drug lord was was seriously injured in a firefight between his bodyguards and the military commandos deployed to capture him, and he died while the military was transporting him from the town of Tapalpa to the capital, Mexico City.
At least six of El Mencho’s security guards were also killed in the operation, while three members of the Mexican military were injured, the defence ministry said.
Security secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said a prison guard, a member of the state prosecutor’s office and 30 members of El Mencho’s criminal organisation were killed in the unrest since his death, according to the AFP news agency.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has praised the army’s operation that led to El Mencho’s death and said her priority is to guarantee peace and security across the country.
“There is calm, there is government, there are armed forces and there is a lot of co-ordination,” Sheinbaum said.
As news of El Mencho’s death spread, members of his cartel launched attacks in many towns and cities where the CJGN is active.
In some towns, they blocked roads by throwing spikes and nails on to the tarmac – in others, they commandeered buses and other vehicles then torched them in the middle of the road.
Sheinbaum said that the road blocks had been cleared by Monday morning.
However, dozens of banks and local businesses have been damaged after they were set alight by cartel members.
Videos shared on social media, and authenticated by BBC Verify, show tourists watching from a pool as a military helicopter flies low over their hotel and smoke rising from buildings in Jalisco state’s city of Puerto Vallarta.
In many towns, streets were deserted on Sunday as local authorities told residents to seek shelter in their homes.
BBC Verify has also authenticated videos of clashes between cartel members and Mexico’s National Guard in the town of San Isidro, just north of Jalisco state’s capital city Guadalajara, on Sunday.
One video shows an armed person firing towards several cars and other images show at least four bodies slumped by a car.
CCTV from a nearby restaurant shows a vehicle ramming a National Guard truck while cartel members shoot at it about 11:00 local time (05:00 GMT).
The National Guard has not released any details of the incident.
The US State Department had offered a $15m (£11.1m) reward for information leading to El Mencho’s capture.
The Mexican Ministry of Defence said that the raid aimed at capturing El Mencho had been carried out by the Mexican army, with support from the country’s National Guard and Air Force.
It added that “complementary information” provided by the US had helped seize the drug lord but Mexico confirmed on Monday that no US forces were involved in his killing, according to the AFP news agency.
By BBC News
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
