Military Operation Attacked in Tepaltepec, Leads to Arrest of 15

"Itzli" for Borderland Beat

15 cartel members were arrested in the wake of attacks against military forces in Tepalcatepec, Michoácan.

On January 20, 2022, as previously reported by Borderland Beat, the Mexican military took control of the Tepalcatepec-Coalcomán highway in Michoácan, which had been damaged seven months prior, allegedly by members of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which sought to inhibit movement in the area. It was also announced that additionally military personnel would be moved in to reinforce security tasks in the state.

Thereafter, Inter-Institutional Operations Bases (BOI) were set up at various points on the Tepalcatepec-Coalcomán highway. Manned by personal of the Army (SEDENA), National Guard (GN), Michoacán State Police, and State Attorney General's Office (FGE), this mix of federal and state forces began inspecting vehicles at these checkpoints, looking for stolen vehicles, weapons, and drugs, as well as well as conducting patrols to bring security to the area.

Borderland Beat reported on Saturday, January 29, 2022 about breaking news of SEDENA soldiers being attacked by armed forces in Loma Blanco, located in the municipality of Tepalcatepec. Since then a number of details have emerged, though there are still aspects that remain unclear and, at times, contradictory depending on the source.

It appears that, on said morning, BOI forces set out, possibly in two groups, to various towns in the municipality of Tepalcatepec, including Loma Blanca, El Bejuco, El Casangue, Los Horcones and El Colomo. The nature of the deployment varies among reports; some say that they were conducting patrols as part of general security reinforcement and others that they were to clear roadblocks that were set up by cartel forces.

The official statement by SEDENA does little to clarify, stating the BOI forces set out "with the aim of facilitating trafficability, social peace and the rule of law, as well as creating the conditions to allow 1,182 inhabitants to return to their homes, 950 hectares of sugar cane to be harvested and the extraction of other regional products”.

According to the officials, BOI forces were attacked on four separate occasions during Saturday morning, although confusion remains as to the timing and exact locations of these attacks.

In at least one of these occasions, BOI forces crossed paths with cartel members who threw explosives at them and began shooting from armored vehicles. As a result of the clash (or clashes), nine cartel members were arrested along with nine rifles, tactical equipment, and two armored vehicles. The exact organization to which these criminals belonged to has not been released but some reports state that they were members of the CJNG.

Another event taking place this morning, which is apparently being counted as one of the attacks on BOI forces, took place in the town of Loma Blanca, video of which has spread on social media. BOI forces were confronted by angry citizens who claimed that innocent civilians had been killed by the BOI. As tensions increased, the citizens began confronting BOI members with sticks and stones and possibly bottles of gasoline. The BOI forces fired shots on the ground while others pointed their weapons at the men while asking them to leave. A helicopter appeared at one point, flying low to scatter the crowd.

Six civilians were arrested in connection to this event, which officials indirectly blamed on cartels, calling them “members of their social base”.

The following day officials stated that ten soldiers were injured and one SEDENA vehicle was damaged during the day’s events.

Sources: SSP Official Twitter Statement, La Jornada, Vanguardia Veracruz, Lopez Doriga, La Opción, Press Libre, TV Azteca, La Verdad BC, Avance de Michoacan