Puebla/Puebla: Violent Day Leaves Several People Dead

Oaxaqueño for Borderland Beat

A narcomanta was left, signed “Cártel de Sinaloa”

On Thursday, a total of four people were killed and two corpses were dumped in the city of Puebla. The first incident took place in the south of Puebla, in the park Centenario Laguna de Chapulco, where a man was shot dead at around 8:30am. The second violent act was registered in the north of Puebla, in Mercado Unión, located in close vicinity of the Central de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), at about 10:30am. At least ten armed aggressors conducted a targeted attack, leaving two men and one woman shot dead. Additionally, at least four people were wounded. Shortly after the attack, security forces were able to arrest four presumed attackers in a nearby house in colonia La Loma. Reportedly, weapons and drugs were also seized. The last incident took place late in the evening after 9:00pm, when the bodies of two men were dumped some 600 meters northeast of Mercado Unión. Reportedly, one corpse was wrapped in plastic bags while the other was wrapped in a blanket. In addition to that, a narcomanta was left, signed “Cártel de Sinaloa”.

 Oaxaqueño Analysis:

Reportedly, the two incidents in the northern part of Puebla are related to the conflict of two criminal groups and are said to be a settlement of accounts. However, some of the reports are rather conflicting, so I try my best in the following analysis.

Among the three victims who were shot dead at the Mercado Unión, one was identified as “El Flavio”, affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel and one of the leaders of a cell called “Los Sinaloas”. The criminal group, which has grown in numbers through members coming in from northern Mexico, have reportedly gained ground in the northern part of Puebla. The group is said to be dedicated to the retail sale of drugs. Several violent incidents were attributed to the group, including the killing of an Italian-Mexican citizen of Puebla in September. Violence culminated last month, when the decapitated corpses of two men and a woman were found dumped in Barranca Honda, situated in the very north of Puebla. Allegedly, the deceased were former sicarios of “El Flavio”, who purportedly ordered the killing following internal power struggles within his own cell. The assumption that the deceased were outsiders (and therefore likely to be part of “El Flavio’s” group) is supported by the fact that nobody claimed their corpses and one of the men is said to be originally from Sonora.

Reports indicate that Thursday’s attack was perpetrated in consequence to the killing and subsequent dumping of these three bodies last month. However, this would lead to the assumption that the assault was conducted by some of “El Flavio’s” own men and thus attributed to the internal struggle.

Having said that, most reports state that a group named “Los Oaxacos” is responsible for Thursday’s attack. Both “Los Sinaloas” and “Los Oaxacos” are involved in a violent power struggle for the control of the retail sale of drugs in northern Puebla. Although I’ve never heard of “Los Oaxacos” up until now, some research showed me that the group has apparently been active for quite a while in the region as well as in the State of Mexico.

When it comes to the last incident on Thursday, the dumping of the two corpses in vicinity of the Mercado Unión, it can be assumed that this was related to the shooting earlier in the day. The narcomanta was stating “Para que aprendas que con los de Sinaloa no se juega” and was signed “Cártel de Sinaloa”. So, it seems plausible that the killing and subsequent dumping was conducted by men of “El Flavio” in retaliation of his killing earlier that day. Nonetheless, taking the apparent internal struggle into consideration as well, this remains pure speculation for the time being.

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