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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Deadly Shootout in Saltillo

by Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat
Saltillo
Once again a code red was issued in Saltillo, the capital city of the Mexican state of Coahuila.   At 3:30 PM, in what has become a regular event in the city, another shootout between elements of GATEs  and armed gunmen has occurred, it is reported that at least four suspects killed and one injured in this latest shootout.
This shootout is the fifth in a 10 day period.  Coahuila’s attorney general warned in his Twitter page “Persecution of alleged criminals north of the city, take precautions”.
Throughout the city, gunshots, granadazos, (grenades)  and the sirens of ambulances and police vehicles could be heard,   prompting citizens to access social networks reporting on which areas of the city to avoid because of the violence.
The attack began at calle Ignacio Ramón southwest of the city, this resulted in a chase through the streets Emilio Carranza, Francisco Murguia and Pedro Ampudia.    

At 4:10 another grenade attack was reported against Muguerza Hospital resulting in one injured person.

La zona hospitalaria continúa resguardada por elementos de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, policía estatal investigadora, la FiscalThe hospital area still guarded by members of the Ministry of National Defense.

The shootout became reminiscent of the shootout in Piedras Negras last week, as the shootout in that city coming close to a softball tournament, causing chaos, so to today in Saltillo as the violence reached a stadium where a baseball game was being played, hearing the shots caused the Los Saraperos players to hit the ground. No one was hurt, the players bus not so lucky sustaining three bullets.
Universities, businesses and restaurants closed after the code red was issued.  Bridges into the city were also closed during the shootout as police scoured the city for gunmen.

One a personal note, last week a team of my employees travelled to Saltillo to deliver supplies to Central American migrants.  We have travelled to Saltillo countless times over the years never anticipating violence.  However last week after checking into a hotel my team called me in a panic after hearing gunshots for over 2 hours. 

They did not leave the hotel until the next morning, but reported hearing gunshots into the night.  I searched news sources but did not find the cause of the gunshots or that the event occurred.  This begs the question of how many shootouts are not being reported.
Vanguardia
Zocalo Saltillo
Torreon Siglo

24 comments:

  1. it helps me to understand how 6 million jews and 5 million other were led to the slaughter without resistance. apathy comes to mind. so what is the excuse of mexico?
    Hindsight is 20/20, but during the actual holocaust people did not always know what was going on, and they either couldn't, or didn't want to, fathom as bitter of an end as we know it today. In 1939-42 Europe it was inconceivable that by war's end the continent would have witnessed the cold blooded murder of 6,000,000 Jews and the destruction of hundreds of millennia-old Jewish communities.
    The Jews in the Ghetto were not allowed to have radios or newspapers. Additionally, Nazis forced death camp inmates to write "post cards" telling their family back home about the wonderful life they were living in their new location.

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  2. Time to hear that the americans need to invade mexico!
    over 22k murdered every year in america. They should probably solve their own problem first.

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  3. Get Serious,initiate the death penalty,on the streets,make people hesitate before becoming a criminal.Put fear in the eyes of these creeps,force them to get a job and contribute to society.

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    1. It wouldn't matter if their were a death penalty dumbass the USA has it don't stop anyway body here from doing school shooting or gang killings . We got thousands sitting in deathrow living the good life free health insurance an so on.

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    2. They have a job, provide drugs to all the politicians, lawyers, bankers in the US and payoffs to Mexican officials which I'm sure they consider part of their salary!

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  4. I wonder the same thing about Saltillo: what isn't being reported. I have a lot of family there and hear a lot more about what is going on that what is being reported. In fact, even Vanguardia (the local paper) does a much better job at reporting the increasing violence in Saltillo than any of the Narco Blogs. I was just wondering last night why the narco blogs largely ignore the chaos in Saltillo. Hopefully, ya'll will begin reporting this more often.

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  5. I am just thankful some of the truth about Coahuila is coming out finally. Interesting comparison about the Jews but I do not equate apathy with either being paid to keep silent or fear of speaking/reporting. Ordinary folks want change but are not willing yet to risk their lives for it. Inspite of the magic wand theories offered up by readers in the US, few of them are willing to be sacrificed in their communities either.

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  6. The death penalty won't help...these guys have pretty much signed their death penalty by being in that line of work...

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  7. I doubt the death penalty will help...they're exposed to death at the hands of their enemy's every day...

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  8. The situation in Mexico makes me want a Dictatorship with death squads,frustration with allowing these ignorant gold tooth bandits to overrun the country. El Popo needs to be removed along with all the other EL's?

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  9. what does WW2 have to do with a shootout in mexico?

    just taking the opportunity to further your own agenda?

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  10. March 14, 2012 5:33 AM .WW2,is not solely about the persecution of Jews,millions of Gypsys,handicapped,Poles,Russians,everyone was persecuted by Nazis,sometimes we tend to forget about other victims of war,because of an agenda.War is hell for everyone.WW2,is the biggest world war ever,it should be remembered as a World War,and hopefully never repeated.

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  11. @619 its more like 16k murders in the USA. And what's being reported in Mexico is the drug related murders. How many happen that are not drug related and how many thousands are never found? Also how many murders go unreported in Mexico? Nobody really knows. So the real number for the past five years could between 75k and 100k. Maybe even more. How many of the missing are still alive.

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  12. The problem is most of the Mexican society as well as the economy is drug-related. It is a narco-kingdom that is corrupt on every level including most ordinary citizens who frequently work for one of the cartels on the side.

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  13. @106
    the same missing goes for america.
    and many more would die except better medical car. Estimates are 50k would die each year except for good medical intervention.
    America is an evil killing country!
    Go sgt postal and kill 36 afghans citizens!
    Or 1000lb bombs on neighborhoods in foreign lands. Evil country that pretends to be good! Crazy!

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  14. The problem is america economy is basically a gun and bomb building anjimal. Either using its weapons on its citizens or sending them to other countries or killing millions during an invasion for nothing but profit!

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  15. DO criminals pay attention to criminal law penaltys, HELL YES what about all the young,underage hit men and drug mules,used because there is NO PENALTY?? Don't tell me public execution IS NOT A DETERANT to crime BS, you gutless worms need to stick to makeup,mudpies,poetry, leave combating crime to people as hard as the criminals!!

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  16. @Chivis
    We live here in Saltillo and we don't even know what's going on. We hear and see things that don't come out on the news and have no idea why. Thanks for the report. There were more shootings here this afternoon, but no details about deaths, wounded, detained, etc.

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  17. I hear the reason Coahuila has broken the media silence is that unspecified contras have come into the State. The State forces are trying to protect the group that has a history of calling it their plaza. Can anyone confirm or offer another explanation?

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  18. the u.s. really dont use the death penalty now here in texas we execute the trash .....how i wish texas will become independent from the u.s

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  19. Only scrap.. deat. is okay.

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  20. @ Chris Lanier & Family..

    Sorry for the delay.
    We go to Saltillo often and I have many friends in the city. What I noticed is when Humberto left to DF almost immediately the violence ensued..why? a deal with the devil? Don't know..but I have seen the violence become an everyday event...and only asmall portion reported in the news.

    When my staff called scared to death I knew I could not subject them to Saltillo's potential violence again. I mean for hours the shootout occurred and NADA reported. My staff does not scare easily, we have had two shootouts in front and by our office this year resulting in deaths. So this must have been very, very bad.

    Remember who owns most of the media sources in Coahuila....

    If you are Americans you have the right to call the consulate and have them tell you what occurred...if they know and they know a lot, but you must give a good reason for wanting to know, they will read each incident to you. I have had good cooperation in Matamoros consulate.

    I love Saltillo, I am sadden to what has transpired. I will continue to go, but not send my staff......Paz Chivis

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  21. Humberto's deal with diablo may have spared Saltillo but tell that to victim's families in the rest of the State and see if that helps....

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  22. I'm going to tell u one thing the us doesn't do anything to stop the drug war cause they control it why there's a king pin on Mexico but nobody knows where's the king pin in the us wake up people us is not that good as you think they hide a lot of shit and work with cartels

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