Mexico: 8 Dead, 12 Injured in Armed Confrontation at Cement Plant

Eight people in Mexico were killed, and 12 others were wounded during an armed confrontation at a cement plant in Hidalgo state early Wednesday.

According to Mexico News Daily, the incident took place at the Cruz Azul cement plant in Tula before 5 a.m. The violence reportedly stemmed from competing groups of workers who engaged in a clash.

Reports noted that one group composed of 200 people tried to take control of the plant located some 90 kilometers north of Mexico City.

In a statement, the Hidalgo Security Ministry (SSP) said authorities were alerted after the clash between two groups of people at one of the entrances to the plant was reported to the 911 number. The cement plant's owner is also the proprietor of the Cruz Azul professional soccer club.

The SSP noted that police, Civil Protection, and medical personnel responded to the clash. Reforma reported that the aggressors also set several vehicles on fire and cut the plant's electricity supply.

Milenio reported that five trucks and three motorcycles were burned at the scene. Hidalgo Prosecutor Alejandro Habib confirmed that weapons were used, with shell casings of two different calibers, including a shotgun, found at the site.

Armed Confrontation at Mexico Cement Plant Caused by Disputes Between Employees

According to Associated Press, the clash came after at least a decade of violent disputes within the Cruz Azul employees' cooperative. Local media reported that the confrontation was related to a long-running leadership dispute.

Mexico News Daily reported that one of the groups was led by Federico Sarabia, and Jose Antonio Marin led the other group. According to Habib, there are more than 30 investigations into different crimes related to the conflict between the two groups.

Habib also said lawsuits associated with the management of the cooperative had been filed in Mexico City and other entities.

Hidalgo Governor in Mexico Condemns the Armed Confrontations in the Cement Plant

Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad tweeted that he strongly condemned the violence at the Cruz Azul cement plant. Fayad noted that nine suspects had been arrested in the clash.

The governor also tweeted that he had instructed the state government secretariat and the attorney general's office to investigate the events and promote dialogues between the parties concerned.

Habib said they will still interview the detainees to know their participation in the riot. He noted that they "are officially requesting all the information," from the 911 reports to surveillance videos, in line with the investigation.

The Cruz Azul cooperative has also condemned the violence and said it had taken legal action against Sarabia and those who "to this day" have hijacked control of the plant. It noted that Sarabia's group has allowed access to groups of outside vandals attacking workers and placing them at risk.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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