Michoacán Sees Vehicle Burnings and Road Blockades Following the Capture of Nine People Linked to a Criminal Organization
The state of Michoacán, Mexico, once again saw scenes of burning vehicles and road blockades in acts of organized crime-related violence. The situation occurred after the capture of nine people linked to a criminal organization in the region was confirmed.
According to CNN, all of them are allegedly connected to Heraclio Guerrero Martínez, alias “Tío Lako,” who is identified as the alleged regional leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Michoacán and Jalisco.
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, confirmed on Wednesday that an operation was underway.
“There is an operation to arrest one or several relevant targets. That is why some locations were taken over,” she said.
For now, Mexican security authorities indicate that Tío Lako remains a target of interest, amid allegations that he is one of the CJNG’s key leaders following the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho.”
However, authorities consider Juan Carlos Valencia González, El Mencho’s stepson, to be the organization’s top leader.
“Tío Lako is identified as responsible for a large part of the CJNG’s fuel theft operations, an activity that the group has turned into one of its most profitable criminal businesses with the greatest international reach,” the government stated in a communiqué.
“During the operation, two properties, 64 vehicles, 16 firearms, grenade-launcher attachments, ammunition and magazines, drugs, eight improvised explosive devices, motorcycles, a drone, and tactical equipment were seized,” authorities added.
Among the nine people arrested are Guerrero Martínez’s daughter and current partner.
So far, the suspect remains a “priority target” for Mexico, while the United States reportedly has no active arrest warrants against him.
Fires and Road Blockades in Michoacán
The operation led to 24 road blockades in three municipalities that produce strawberries, corn, and tomatoes in this western Mexican state.
Michoacán is one of Mexico’s largest agricultural producers and is also the world’s largest producer of avocados, a situation that has made the state a target for extortion by criminal groups.
Many of the blockades, a tactic that criminal groups in the state have used for years, were carried out using burning cargo trucks placed across the roads.
Following the blockades, civilian and military authorities activated the so-called Anti-Blockade Plan to reopen the roads and guarantee the movement of people and vehicles.
Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez reported on X that traffic had been completely restored.
The operation took place days after the United States suspended avocado imports for one week, following threats against U.S. inspectors who, as part of established protocols, work at avocado plantations and packing facilities.
Source: msn
