Milenio: Organized Crime Targeting Of Taxis In Guerrero Leaves 24 Dead, Burned Vehicles

Article by Javier Trujillo for Milenio, reposted by "El Huaso" 

The harassment of criminal groups has left a trail of deaths and even burning of vehicles in the municipalities of Acapulco, Chilpancingo, Zihuatanejo and in four other localities. In each and every one of the acts of violence in the seven municipalities in Guerrero, impunity prevails so far. 

In the last four months, 24 urban transport drivers have been executed, as well as two leaders, without any of those responsible for the crimes having been arrested so far.  

“Perhaps our sin is to get into the neighborhoods where a group belongs and we get into where there is another group. "That is what happens, we have been victims of kidnapping, collection of fees and many things, we are a sector highly coveted by organized crime," says the leader of A New Horizon for Guerrero, Rogelio Hernández Cruz.

Thus, throughout these eight months, the carriers carry out their work under the harassment of criminal groups, who persecute, corner and threaten them to participate in the mobilizations against federal and state authorities. 

Two of the leaders, Francisco García Marroquín from Chilpancingo, were shot to death on May 31. Meanwhile, Marco Antonio Medina was shot on May 7 in Coyuca de Benítez.  

The ministerial authorities assure that the attacks against public transport drivers have been motivated by the control of these groups, for revenge and for resisting to participate in mobilizations of criminal groups in Zihuatanejo, Chilpancingo and Acapulco.

"This is the main cause, the main reason why crimes against public transport have increased in the state, and it is precisely where the prosecution's investigations are focused on finding the generators of violence," says the deputy prosecutor research Ramón Celaya Gamboa.

According to the ministerial authorities of the entity, in Chilpancingo there are two groups that are vying for control. In Acapulco, the existence of at least five criminal groups is presumed, two of a national nature and criminal cells from Guerrero that have entered and generated violence in the port. 

“There is talk of the Sinaloa cartel, there is talk of the Jalisco cartel, whose presence has not been corroborated. However, there are confirmed factions that operate in Acapulco, from the Sierra Cartel, the Los Tlacos cartel, small cells of Los Ardillos that have wanted to enter the area,” he said.  

Rogelio Hernández, assures that all the murders against carriers have gone unpunished. He says that he does not know of a single case where justice has been done to the family, and reproaches that no carrier is cared for by marines or soldiers, and they only go out to work on the streets and do not know if they will return alive. 

The deputy prosecutor Celaya Gamboa, assures that the investigations continue their course that no investigation has been shelved, "in no case, we are going to continue working, and we are going to find those responsible."

Source: Javier Trujillo for Milenio