Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas: The Local War Zone Between Criminal Groups

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Criminals knock down video cameras to avoid being tracked and kidnap hospital guards

The security corporations were conspicuous by their absence during the hours of the conflict.

The sleep and tranquility of native Miguel Aleman families was interrupted by different sectors of the city that were practically used as a war zone during the early hours of Saturday morning by rival criminal groups who disputed control. They held an infernal confrontation with heavy caliber gunfire and car chases.

Prior to the clashes and late on Friday night, it was unofficially reported that several armed civilians first knocked down some video-surveillance cameras. In addition they presumably threatened security guards of the Hospital in the town of Los Guerras, whom they kidnapped but minutes later they were released. However, this version couldn’t be confirmed, although it was not ruled out by the authorities either.

The operations of the Armed Forces are not enough to stop the violence in the area.

Some sporadic gunfire of large caliber weapons began to be heard after midnight in the distance. But a few minutes before 4:00 and until 4:30 this Saturday they intensified drastically. The vast majority of the population was able to hear them, they were reported by different sectors of this municipal seat, where they were running around with each other, sowing terror wherever they went.

Meanwhile, the civil and military authorities were conspicuous by their absence, because at dawn when the citizens required them to leave their barracks in order to intervene and bring order, they never made an appearance.

Crimínala are disputing control

Miguel Alemán is the "dividing line" between armed groups that dispute the border

It’s been chosen by different criminal leaders looking to settle in

Trafficking of drugs, migrants and contraband is one of the main illicit activities

It is the most populated municipality in the Ribereña area

It was one of the municipalities where the wave of violence began in Tamaulipas more than 10 years ago

El Mañana