A car bomb exploded outside a police station in western Mexico’s Acambaro town, leaving three individuals hurt. The blast was so strong that it hurled parts of the destroyed car across the street and shattered windows in nearby homes. Another explosion occurred about 30 minutes away in Jerecuaro, although no one was injured. According to authorities, a second car bomb caused significant damage to a building and set fire to a police vehicle. The attacks indicate involvement from drug cartels that have been waging violent turf battles for years in Guanajuato.
The recent bombings are the most serious attack on authorities in Mexico since June 2023, when a cartel used a car bomb to murder a National Guard officer in nearby Celaya. In July 2023, seven roadway bombs were set off by a drug cartel in Jalisco state, killing four police officers and two civilians.
Mexico’s newly inaugurated President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that her administration will continue the “hugs, not bullets” approach of her predecessor, avoiding confrontations with the cartels. However, this stance is being called into question as the violence escalates in several states. Saucedo, a security analyst based in Guanajuato, says the government’s inability to acknowledge narco-terrorism may be contributing to the problem.
Saucedo believes that the Mexican government has failed to recognize the scope of the issue and instead resorts to generic responses like “investigations are being conducted.” The situation is becoming increasingly dire for Mexico as drug cartels and violence in the country have become a topic of discussion in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Considering the recent bombings, Sheinbaum has pledged to address the issue in Guanajuato, stating that investigations into the attacks are ongoing. However, Saucedo suggests that the government’s reluctance to discuss narco-terrorism is creating a bad image for Mexico and preventing effective solutions from being implemented.
The violence is becoming more widespread, with cartels engaging in military-style battles. The Mexican army has been deployed to combat the cartels, but this has led to accusations of human rights abuses by soldiers. The situation has become so dire that some officials have begun to acknowledge the reality of narco-terrorism in Mexico.
Source: ABC News
