Guerrero Cops had to ration ammunition after being ambushed. Boss says "budget limits".

Posted by DD from several articles in Milenio

scene of ambush of 15 State Police Guerrero. 

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 Gunmen who ambushed 15 state police in the mountains of Guerrero on Tuesday didn’t hold back on their fire power.  Investigators have estimated that 305 shots were fired on the police patrol

On August 23 a patrol of 15 state police were ambushed in vicinity of Puerto del Gallo in the municipality of Heliodoro Castillo, an opium poppy-growing region wracked by the conflict of warring drug cartels that are well armed with high-powered weaponry.

In the ambush and ensuing 4 hour gun battle 3 of the State Police were killed and 2 more injured.  Three of the attackers were also killed. 
 

according to authorities when the police drove into the ambush and they were attacked they tried to repel the attack while hiding behind their trucks.  Then other trucks with armed men arrived and joined the attackers in the firefight.  The police said they were outnumbered 10 to 1.  They estimated the attackers numbered about 150. 

The state police called for help from the army and state police and helicoptor support.  But when the helicoptors arrived carrying reinforcements they said they couldn't land because of the fog and gunfire.  authorities did not mention whether the choppers were armed or why they didn't join the firefight from the air.  Reinforcements had to be sent from Puerto de Gallo overland.

The Governor speaking at the funeral of the 3 dead state police,  said that if it had not been for the reinforcements all of the 15 man patrol would have been killed.  No arrests were made.

He didn't mention what the 12 surviving soldiers told the media that were lucky to be alive because of the their limited supply of guns and ammunition.  They had to ration their ammunition while defending themselves during the 4 hour attack.  They couldn't escape because the attacker's high caliber weapons had disabled their trucks with shots to the motors.  The bodies of their trucks, as well as their helmets  were made of fiberglass and offered little protection. 

“We don’t have munitions, we don’t have equipment, we’re lacking firearms and as if that weren’t enough we don’t have electricity at our headquarters in Puerto del Gallo; we have almost nothing,” said one officer.

`at the funeral of the three police officers that were killed,  Governor Astudillo said that  'Guerrero needs men and women with the bravery  of Alejandro Hernandez, Arnulfo Palacios and Sabino Casiano' he said, referring to the three dead officers encased in wooden caskets behind him.  

He could have said that it took exceptional bravery for a police officer to do his job under armed, with limited ammunition, and inadequate protective gear.

The Secretary of Public Security of Guerrero, Pedro Almazan Cervantes, highlighted the strength of the police officers, because during the fray ammunition was  scarce by the prolonged aggression they faced, while all vehicles they had traveled in had been completely crippled by shells that landed in the engines. 

When questioned by the media about what the survivors had said about having to ration ammunition, not having enough fire power, inadequate protective gear and the old trucks they were forced to use,  the Secretary  replied;

 "everyone wants to have equipment that is ideal but there are limits set by budgets, not by a lack of either political will or concern.

“[But] there are shortages and they need to understand that,” said Pedro Almazán Cervantes.

I am not sure that the three officers whose bodies they buried that day would understand that.