The Day The Gulf Cartel And Los Zetas Stained Mexico's Independence Party With Blood

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Thirteen years after the narco-attacks, no one has been held responsible for the 8 dead who stained the Mexican national holiday with blood

The Gulf Cartel and it's then armed wing, Los Zetas were accused of being behind one of the bloodiest attacks where they painted red the celebration of Mexico's Independence on Wednesday, September 15, 2008 in Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán in Mexico.

That night Mexicans witnessed what is considered one of the first narco terrorist attacks. The then governor Leonel Godoy gave for the first time the "Cry of Independence" in the historic center of Morelia. At the end of the stirring speech, two explosions rocked the area.

One was in the Melchor Ocampo townsquare, next to the Cathedral of Morelia and in front of the Government Palace of Michoacán. The other at the intersection of Francisco I Avenue. Madero and Andrés Quintana Roo Street, next to Merced Parish. The toll was eight dead and more than 100 injured.

Soon after that occurred, narco-blankets signed by the La Familia Michoacana Cartel (LFM) and Los Zetas appeared, they both distanced themselves from the explosions.

Days later, the then Attorney General's Office (PGR) presented three subjects identified as responsible for throwing the grenades.

It was Juan Carlos, Julio Cesar and Alfredo "N" who confessed to the authorities that they had participated in the attack.

According to investigations, protected witnesses pointed them out as members of the Gulf Cartel, which in turn depended on Los Zetas.

However, journalist José Reveles in his book "The blackest stories of drug trafficking, impunity and corruption in Mexico", published in April 2009, pointed out that the capture of the three detainees was after an "anonymous call" that placed them in a building in the municipality of Apatzingán and that when the authorities arrived at the place, they found three subjects handcuffed,

The couples of the three detainees claimed that they were "kidnapped" days after the attack. They even all filed a complaint about the disappearance of their husbands.

Similarly, more than 30 witnesses indicated that the three detainees were several miles away on the day of the attacks, in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas. Thus, 13 years after the attacks there is no certainty which cartel was behind them, since those arrested for what happened have already been already released.

La Opinión

La Opinión