Mexico: Fire at bar patrons – Nine dead

Nine people lost their lives the night before last Wednesday (9/11) in bar in the state of Guanajuato, in the central Mexico – which is more affected than any other by the wave of violence that is sweeping the country, while it is characterized as an important industrial, cultural and tourist center – the local authorities announced yesterday Thursday (10/11).

As has happened repeatedly in recent months, the attackwhich also injured two women who are in a stable condition, targeted a bar overnight at 21:00 (local time 05:00 yesterday Thursday Greek time), in the location of Apaceo El Alto.

The first elements of the investigation speak of gunmen riding in a car who opened fire on patrons of the bar, killing five men and four women, according to a statement from the municipality of Apaceo el Alto.

Local authorities invited any eyewitnesses to testify, guaranteeing absolute anonymity.

Attacks of this nature all too often go unpunished.

In mid-October, twelve people were killed and three others were wounded by the bullets of unknown people who attacked a bar in Irapuato, also in Guanajuato.

An industrial state, where large factories are located, Guanajuato has become a theater of conflict between two gangs that mainly traffic in drugs, the Jalisco New Generation cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel.

Wednesday’s attack is believed to have been carried out, according to Mexican media reports, in retaliation for the arrest on Tuesday of one of the leaders of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, Juan Rodolfo Jepes.

Between January and August, 2,115 murders were committed in Guanajuato (population 6 million), according to official data.

Despite the wave of violence, Guanajuato and especially its capital of the same name, a magnificent city from the colonial period, remain a magnet for tourists in Mexico. The country’s biggest theater festival, Cervantino, was held there in October.