Los Correa Against CJNG 20 Person Massacre at Cockfight in Zinapecuaro, Michoacan

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

At a sanctioned cockfighting ring in Zinapecuaro, Michoacan; gunmen, allegedly from Los Correa cartel blocked the roads surrounding the venue and attacked killing 20 people including the local leader of the CJNG.

Update: The Michoacán Prosecutor's Office has identified 19 of the 20 people murdered in a palenque in Zinapécuaro, including three with US citizenship, in addition to a subject with the alias of "Chapo," from Guatemala.

Less than a month after the massacre of 17 people in San José de Gracia, Michoacán, another event exceeded the number of fatalities in the same state since on March 27, 20 people were executed by an armed commando while they were interior of a palenque in the municipality of Zinapécuaro.

Just after the events, the Michoacán State Attorney General's Office released the substantive results of the first inquiries carried out by the agency's investigative staff, who were able to reconstruct the violent events.

According to what was reported by the Prosecutor's Office, the palenque opened at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Sunday 27, an establishment that is located in the El Paraíso ranch in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, and in which constant meetings of the members of the cartel were organized. Jalisco New Generation (CJNG).

That day, an event open to the public was held in which around 40 cockfights were held without betting and supervised by the National Section of Breeders of Fighting Birds, which was "organized for genetic selection purposes."

After having concluded their operations and after the visitors to the palenque had allegedly left the premises, the members of the CJNG, who dominated the municipality, stayed to continue holding their meeting, in which the leader of the local criminal cell was present.

Preliminary reports indicate that the revenge was planned against an alleged regional head of the CJNG who migrated from his affiliation with the Familia Michoacana. Halcones located the alleged ringleader and an operation was deployed to execute him, however, Los Correas would have served as support for these actions. But the authorities have not given an account of major elements that support these reports.

The regional leader of the criminal organization was present at the scene and it is presumed that he was the target of the assassins of the Los Correa cartel, to whom Michoacán authorities attribute the attack since they would have carried out an armed incursion into the entity to seize control of illicit operations in the area.

After the palenque had closed its doors to the general public, the armed command entered the place aboard two small trucks, one of them branded with the logo for Sabritas, a potato chip company, which had been stolen in the State of Mexico days before. The trucks were used to block the highway leading to the cockfighting arena, and from which various gunmen descended carrying high-powered rifles, in addition to wearing clothing and tactical equipment. At the same time and in a coordinated manner, a passenger truck, which had been hijacked, was used to maintain a blockade outside the building and thus prevent the victims from escaping from the scene.

“Once they entered the venue, the men fired weapons at the attendees, including the owner of the venue, Abiel A., 59, and his son, Salvador A., ​​who died in the place, as well as 17 other people. In this attack, five people were injured, one of whom died on the way to a hospital, "the prosecution reported.

The other bodies delivered correspond to the women identified as Melissa S., Jennifer Karina T. and Martha Elba P. In addition to José Abiel A., his son Salvador A.; as well as José Andrés M.; Jose H.; Erik Salvador M.; Daniel E.; Damian M.; Federico L.; Juan Pablo L.; Jesus Horacio L.; Miguel Angel M.; Alejandro Michel G.; Carlos Alberto M.; Jose Martin A.; John Ignatius G. and Juan Jesus M.

After executing 20 people, the assassins abandoned the vehicle in which they arrived and fled the scene in cars stolen from the victims of the attack. In addition, the state authorities "located 15 vehicles of different types and models, in one of which, presumably related to the people who suffered the attack, clothing, and stickers with the logo of a criminal cell were located," reported the prosecution.

The clothing and the vehicles were transferred to the vicinity of the FGE, where more than a hundred 7.62 and .223 caliber shell casings were also recovered, as well as a .40 mm caliber grenade, which was raised as evidence of the attack. The lifeless bodies of 16 men and three women were left in the palenque de gallos, which have been transferred to the Forensic Medical Service (Semefo) to be identified.

The five people who had to be transferred were four men and one woman. The man that died on the way to the hospital was identified as Erick Salvador M., 32 years old. 15 vehicles of different models were also seized, which were made available to the Public Ministry, confirming the prosecution.

"Until this afternoon, Abiel A., Salvador A., ​​José Andrés M., José H., Erik Salvador M., Daniel E., Melissa S., and Damián M. have been identified before the Prosecutor's Office," the agency reported. through a statement.

Los Correa Cartel is headed by Daniel Correa Velázquez, "El Tigre".

Who is the Los Correa Cartel?

Los Correa Cartel is headed by Daniel Correa Velázquez, ‘El Tigre’, whose family began by controlling the clandestine logging of forests in eastern Michoacán, expanding their activities to the production of marijuana and synthetic drugs, extortion, and other crimes.

Currently, the Los Correa Cartel maintains an alleged alliance with a cartel that has been in the region for years, La Familia Michoacana. Both criminal organizations also maintain a war with the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG), whose cells seek to enter eastern Michoacán.

In Michoacán, the cartels of Los Correa, La Nueva Familia Michoacana (with its arms armed with Los Viagras and Lo Blancos de Troya), Los Caballeros Templarios, Cartel de Los Reyes, Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cartel de Tepalcatepec and La Familia Michoacana (old organization that was the base of the Knights Templar).

In addition, in some regions of this state, there are self-defense groups, armed civilians who protect their territory from the onslaught of the cartels, although there are suspicions that some of them also belong to criminal gangs.

Sources Infobae Infobae Mexico Daily Post Mexico Daily Post Infobae