CJNG Shootout With Military in Teocaltiche, Near Jalisco-Zacatecas Border

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Reportedly there were at least two battles in one day near the town of Huejotitlán, near the border of Jalisco and Zacatecas. Both battles allegedly involved Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) hitmen.

Newspaper El Occidental reports the first battle broke out at approximately 7:00 am on the morning of December 5, 2021 in Huejotitlán, which is in the municipality of Teocaltiche, in the state of Jalisco. El Occidental reports the CJNG members battled against soldiers from the National Guard.

However, NTR Zacatecas reports the first confrontation occurred on the Zacatecas side, in the municipality of Apulco. NTR reports the dispute was due to the kidnapping of someone in the town of El Conejo and that it led CJNG members to engage in battle with members of the National Guard. 

NTR reports that minutes later, a second confrontation occurred on the highway leading from Teocaltiche Jalisco to Nochistlan Zacatecas, this time between CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel (Cartel de Sinaloa, CDS).

Video Source: Dominio Público

Later, footage from a surveillance camera emerged online in which  two pick-up trucks full of alleged CJNG hitmen can be seen at around 7:32 am. The men seen in the footage were allegedly being sent as reinforcements in order to support other CJNG hitmen who were already engaged in battle. 

Dominio Público, a news website, spoke to residents of Huejotitlán and they reported they had begun hearing gunfire in the early morning hours. One of the residents told the reporter "We have just been told that an armored monster truck has been abandoned and that there are several trucks that have been shot at."

Army (SEDENA) soldiers were sent to reinforce the National Guard troops who had just fought the alleged CJNG members. They arrived later than the CJNG reinforcements and by the time they reached Huejotitlán, the cartel members had fled the area. No arrests or casualties have been reported in relation to this shooting as of the writing of this story.

Alleged photo of monstruo vehicle found in Huejotitlán area. 

Alleged photo of monstruo vehicle found in Huejotitlán area.

According to El Occidental, SEDENA soldiers did, however, find five “monstruo” vehicles, or monster trucks, referring to specially armored vehicles which are designed to utilize bullet resistant glass and reinforced metal siding for the purpose of withstanding gunfire. 

Meanwhile, NTR Zacatecas reports that the battles left 15 vehicles abandoned, some on the Jalisco side, some on the Zacatecas side of the border. 

Jalisco law enforcement also reported that at around 11:00 am another confrontation occurred on the Zacatecas side of the border but they reported no further details as it goes beyond their jurisdiction. There has been no official comment by Zacatecas law enforcement so far. 

Some social media users are alleging the CJNG men seen in the footage “are the people of 08”, referring to Adrián Alonso Guerrero Covarrubias, alias “El 08”, a leader of the CJNG subgroup Los Guerreros.

Los Guerreros, sometimes called Grupo Guerrero, are believed to hold the south most portion of Zacatecas, with another CJNG subgroup led by Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan, alias “El Sapo” holding the area to their north.

Grupo Guerrero has an established history fighting against CDS members in Zacatecas. In September 2021, a few months ago, Grupo Guerrero members tortured CDS members in Fresnillo, Zacatecas (quite a bit north of Apulco municipality) on video which was later uploaded online. The CDS members were allegedly members of the subgroup Los Flechas. For the video and an English translation, please see this story from Sol.

*Note: Infobae is combining their coverage of this recent story with coverage of a November 9, 2021 story about missing persons in Teocaltiche without differentiating the two events and adding old quotes from the Attorney General in a misleading manner. Please be wary of their coverage of this event. 

Sources: El Occidental, Vanguardia, LopezDoriga, Riodoce, NTR Zacatecas, Dominio Público, RCG Media, Zocalo