People flee drug violence on bridge recently inaugurated by AMLO in Chiapas

Chicomuselo, Chiapas.— The cable-stayed bridge recently inaugurated by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador In the municipality of La Concordia, Chiapas, it is used for Hundreds of displaced people from Chicomuselo manage to escape from the narco-violenceafter the attack on the Headquarters of the 101st Infantry Battalion of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena).

Just last August 2nd AMLO and the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbauminaugurated this puente Many people have pointed out that it would be used by drug cartels, since in the final stretch of this six-year term there are fewer and fewer inhabitants in the region, as criminal groups take over more territory, due to the inaction of the authorities.

READ: What is happening in Chiapas? Keys to understanding why people are fleeing their towns

“A caravan of Hundreds of displaced people managed to leave Chicomuselo This Tuesday, August 20, they are heading towards Tuxtla Gutiérrez and some will seek refuge in Comitán.

“They are in La Concordia, fleeing drug violence. They were able to pass through the Cable-Stayed Bridge “which was recently inaugurated by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador,” reported journalist Isaín Mandujano on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 20.

Cartel attacks Sedena barracks in Chicomuselo; blockades and panic buying in Motozintla

Earlier, on the afternoon of Monday, August 19, an armed group launched an attack with explosives, including the use of drones, against the Headquarters of the 101st Infantry Battalion of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) in the town of Pablo L. Sidar, in the municipality of Chicomuselo; In addition, a series of clashes were recorded, Blockades and panic buying in Motozintla

Thus, the barracks of the 101st Infantry Battalion inaugurated on November 8, 2018, by General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda—who was charged with 4 counts of drug trafficking in the US in 2020—was rendered useless.

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Residents indicate that since last Monday, the entrances to the municipality have been blocked and traffic between nearby towns, such as La Concordia, has been completely suspended.

War in Chiapas between the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG

The local population is located Caught in the middle of the conflict due to the dispute over the territory between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) whose armed wing in the area is MAIZ.

Local media collect stories from the farmers of Chicomuselo of how, after more than 30 minutes of fighting, pauses and they start againthe community lives in constant fear of being a victim of violence, whether due to stray bullets or by reprisals.

“We are each in our safe place, afraid that they will take us from our homes or that a stray bullet will hit us,” said a victim of the Drug violence in Chiapas.

State and federal authorities have not made any official statements on the matter or confirmed the facts.

The attack on the barracks was not an isolated incident. Just a few hours earlier, it was reported that an armed convoy from Frontera Comalapa was heading towards Chicomuselo.

This mobilization has aggravated the situation in the area, which In the final stretch of AMLO’s government, he lives under the shadow of armed clashes between criminal groups fighting for control of the territory.

The inhabitants of Chicomuselo and neighboring municipalities have expressed their concern about the siege of violence. In Ocozocoautla (Puente Chiapas), clashes between armed groups were reported, which led to the suspension of vehicular traffic in the area.

Panic buying in Motozintla, due to cartels

In Motozintla, panic buying takes place in stores and supermarkets, because one of the criminal organizations called on residents to meet at “the last gas station” located on federal highway 201, early Tuesday morning, although the reason is unknown.

They gave the order to close all businesses and homes and paralyze daily activities, including transportation, which triggered panic buying in the total absence of the authority, in that state governor for Morena.

The message added that he should attend the “community meeting” one representative per house or family And if no one came to represent them, “they would face the consequences,” since they would be fined or “other measures” would be taken, although they do not say who called the protest, they point out that it is a cartel.

This Monday, August 19, there was panic buying in #MOTOZINTLAThis is because, this Tuesday, August 20, all businesses, stores or shops, “even tortilla shops”, will have to close their doors.
Well, the entire population is being called upon by “the united people” to… pic.twitter.com/ovOhlDTu6W

— Isain Mandujano (@isain) August 20, 2024

These violent events are recorded Only five days before the extraordinary elections are held in the municipalities of ChicomuseloCaptain Luis Ángel Vidal in the Sierra Border, as well as in Pantelho which is located in the indigenous area of ​​Los Altos, places where the extraordinary election of June 2 could not be held due to the war between the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación cartels.

Jaltenango, another hot spot in Chiapas for drug violence

In other parts of the region, such as in the municipality of Jaltenangoanother of those interviewed pointed out that hundreds of people have mobilized to demand the withdrawal of security forces, accusing them of not providing protection necessary and, instead, aggravate the situation.

Members of the security forces fired gunshots into the air to repel the protesters, who set up a blockade at the entrance to the municipal capital and which remains in place to this day.

Comalapa border, under criminal siege

The inhabitants of the Sierra also denounced that they are being forced to participate in other blockades installed in Escobillal, municipality of Amatenango de la Frontera, in Siltepec and in Chicomuselo, as well as in the towns of Chamic and El Jocote on the Comalapa Border.

They explained that the population of the municipalities of The Future, Bejucal de Ocampo They were forced to blockade Escobillal, while people from Bella Vista and La Grandeza to Zacualpa, a community located between Siltepec and Chicomuselo, are also being made to participate in blockades.

During the first minutes of Monday night, the inhabitants of They just say that Border police reported that a helicopter flew from the town of Nuevo Amatenango to Chicomuselo, which traveled along the border highway, however, they do not know the origin of the aircraft.

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