Mexico: 9 Dead After Gunmen of Rival Gang of Jalisco Cartel Walked Into Guanajuato Bar and Sprayed Bullets

Nine people died, including four women, after gunmen opened fire inside a bar in Mexico's Guanajuato state, where a local gang is fighting a turf war with notorious Jalisco cartel.

The incident happened on Wednesday at around 9:20 p.m. local time in the Lexuz bar in Apaseo del Alto in Guanajuato. According to Associated Press, the attackers left behind several hand-written posters on the blood-covered floor signed by the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, whose leader Jose Antonio Yépez Ortíz, alias "El Marro," or The Sledgehammer, was already imprisoned.

The bloody messages accused the bar owners of supporting the rival Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). Reports said one of the owners was reportedly among those killed.

The assailants shot indiscriminately at everyone in the bar, including waitresses, leaving five men and four women dead and two women wounded. BBC reported that two of the bodies were found in a car.

It was still unclear whether the gunmen shot the two men while they tried to escape or they were hit by stray bullets. At least seven gunmen reportedly stormed into the venue. Images from the gruesome crime scene showed several waitresses slumped in pools of blood.

The motive for the attack remains unclear. However, BBC reported that the shootouts in bars have become more frequent in the state, which has the highest murder rate in Mexico so far this year, with more than 1,560 homicide cases.

Jalisco Cartel and Santa Rosa De Lima Cartel in Mexico's Guanajuato State

The CJNG is base in Jalisco state. However, the Jalisco cartel has grown in power over the years, expanding its operations in other Mexican states, including Guanajuato.

The Jalisco cartel is reportedly trying to invade the Guanajuato territory of the home-grown Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel. The two cartels are reportedly fighting for control of trafficking routes for drugs and stolen fuel. Their rivalry resulted in Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel attacking the businesses they think are associated with the Jalisco cartel.

The bloodbath in Guanajuato reportedly started in 2018 when the Jalisco New Generation Cartel moved into the state. Reports said the CJNG has already killed hundreds of Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel members.

Previous Attacks at Guanajuato Bars Already Killed 22 People

The attack was at least the third bar massacre in Guanajuato in the past months. Last month, 12 people, six of them women, were killed in an attack at a bar in the town of Irapuato, Al Jazeera reported.

A similar attack at another bar in Tarimoro town left 10 dead in September. The gunmen also sprayed bullets inside the bar and left narco messages attributing the attack to the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel. All three attacks had the same pattern of gunmen shooting indiscriminately.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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