07/17/2023 (written by vmateoszuniga) – Last Wednesday, seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated in Tlajomulco, Jalisco in a coordinated attack against the state’s prosecutor’s office. The attack led to the loss of six lives and has left fourteen others injured thus far. Enrique Alfaro, Governor of Jalisco, described the attack as “a brutal act of terror”. Jalisco’s state prosecutor, Joaquín Méndez, reported that out of the six deceased, three were working for the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office, one was part of the Tlajomulco municipal police, and two were civilians.
Governor Alfaro expressed his concern over the unprecedented attack as a demonstration of the capabilities of organized crime groups. The governor assured that the state has established a permanent security board to address the attack. An operation has also been launched to find those responsible.
The governor explained that a civilian who is part of the one of the collectives of searching mothers received an anonymous report giving her the location of unidentified human remains. The tip was consequently reported to Mexican authorities. Upon arriving at the reported location, authorities did not find any of the reported human remains.The explosive devices were detonated as the search began.
The governor announced that authorities will pause responses to anonymous tips of human remains until protocols have been reevaluated in order to protect first responders and members of the citizen collectives.
Last month, the “Madres Buscadoras” (Searching Mothers) ollective found at least 32 bodies in a local property in the Tlajomulco region. Tlajomulco is the municipality with the most number of unmarked graves in the state and from which the largest number of bodies have been recovered in Jalisco. According to the state prosecutor’s office between December 2018 to June 30th, 2023, 63 mass graves have been discovered and 635 bodies have been recovered in the municipality.
Though there are multiple organized crime groups in Jalisco the most prominent one is the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). This cartel has utilized IEDs in the neighboring state of Michoacán, along with employing drones armed with explosives, in the past.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that his government is gathering more information about the attack.
Sources
“México: Ataque con explosivos contra fiscales de Jalisco deja al menos 6 muertos.” La Prensa Gráfica.https://www.laprensagrafica.com/internacional/Mexico-Ataque-con-explosivos-contra-fiscales-de-Jalisco-deja-al-menos-6-muertos-20230712-0027.html
“Terror en Jalisco: ataque con explosivos a policías deja 3 muertos y 10 heridos en Tlajomulco.” El Financiero. https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/estados/2023/07/11/terror-en-jalisco-ataque-con-explosivos-a-policias-deja-3-muertos-y-10-heridos-en-tlajomulco/
“Improvised bomb attack on police kills 6 in Jalisco.” Mexico News Daily. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/improvised-bomb-attack-on-police-kills-6-in-jalisco/
“Reportan muertos y heridos en Tlajomulco, Jalisco, por artefactos explosivos.” CNN en Español. https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2023/07/12/reportan-muertos-heridos-tlajomulco-jalisco-por-artefactos-explosivos-orix/
“A devastating attack claims 6 lives in Mexico’s Jalisco state.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/12/1187354565/a-devastating-attack-claims-6-lives-in-mexicos-jalisco-state
“Jalisco Cartel uses tactics of Islamic militants in Michoacán.” Mexico News Daily. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/jalisco-cartel-islamic-militants-tactics-michoacan/
“Ataque con explosivos contra fiscales de Jalisco deja al menos 6 muertos.” La Jornada.: https://www.jornada.com.mx/2023/07/12/estados/028n1est
