Terror in Guanajuato: 10 Executed Including Police Chief of Celaya

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from Proceso

Official Dodge Ram P-up of the Chief of Police of Celaya

 Additional Material from Debate

 July 31, 2017

GUANAJUATO, Gto. In two different attacks committed in the early hours of Monday the  director of the Police of Celaya and his escort were assassinated, while in Abasolo a police woman was riddled by bullets at her home in an attack by armed men that left eight dead, with a total of 10 victims in both events, according to the PGR.

Around three in the morning of Monday, an armed group arrived in several vehicles to an address on Allende Street in the Municipality of Abasolo, meters from the towns square, where the municipal police agent along with family members were murdered, according to the initial information. The group began firing towards the house and at those who were inside. Some were able to run towards the street, but were hit by the alleged assassins and killed.

The agent, whose name has not been disseminated, died in the house, as did a teenage son; also inside the house were four other people whom died. Three others who ran outside were hit by the shots and ly in the surrounding streets. Another victim died in the hospital.

Four hours later, in an apparent ambush near his home, the director of the Police of Celaya, J. Santos Juárez Rocha, was attacked and assassinated, along with one of his escorts, identified as Manuel Acosta. Juárez Rocha, originally assigned to the State Security Forces. Manuel Acosta, according to witnesses, passed by daily to pick up his boss and take him to Celaya to work. Juarez Rocha was barely at the helm of the corporation for a year, arriving as a director at the end of last August.

J. Santos Juarez Rocha , Police Chief of Celaya
photo: Zona Franca

Juarez Rocha had left his home, in the community of Loma de Flores, which belongs to the municipality of Salamanca, a few kilometers from Irapuato. He was aboard an official gray Dodge Ram truck with GP81347 plates along with his escort, and headed to the Control Center and State Command, the C5i, located in the Inner Harbor of Silao, for a meeting with directors and state security officials. 

On Emiliano Zapata  Street of  Colonia Loma de Flores, armed men caught up with him and fired at the vehicle and its occupants.

Neighbors heard the shots about 6:20 am July 31, 30 meters from the house of Director J. Santos Juarez Rocha.

More than 50 shots  marked the front and side of the vehicle, on the driver's side door.

Those responsible fled to Irapuato, so an operation was deployed with corporations of different levels all security forces, "the three levels of government" between Salamanca and Irapuato. In Celaya, the municipal president Ramón Lemus summoned the media  for a press conference shortly before 9:00 am and confirmed the execution of his director of Police.

He said that given the way he was murdered, he will ask for support from the federal and state authorities, and acknowledged the work of the director, saying: "he gave himself in full to his work."

As he has always done when talking about the serious criminal situation in this municipality, the PAN mayor described the situation as "atypical " in this panorama and attributed it to "a national panorama", the situation of insecurity, ie. "I understand that he did have threats" said the municipal president.

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In two years of the government of  Ramon Lemus, at least 10 elements of the Celayan Police have been assassinated. No suspects have been apprehended.