Violence in Baja California/Ayotzinapa Case

Violence in Baja California. Minister of National Defense Luis Cresencio Sandoval reported that homicides and drug dealing activities are concentrated in three cities: Tijuana, Ensenada and Mexicali. In these entities 93 percent of homicides, vehicle robbery and drug dealing in the state take place.

On August 12, several cities in Baja California suffered acts of violence and 19 cars were set on fire. Authorities reported 96 hours of violence, which left 12 dead, six injured and 20 detained.

Moreover, Minister of Security and Citizen Protection Rosa Icela Rodríguez reported that in July national level homicides decreased 12.8 percent in comparison to the historical maximum while feminicide cases decreased 51.7 percent in the same month.

Ayotzinapa Case. President López Obrador assured that the investigation on the disappearance of the 43 students in Ayotzinapa has not been closed. Yesterday, a report of the Truth Commission was disclosed establishing this was a crime of the state and that there are no indications that the students are still alive.

In 2014, during former president Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, 43 students disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero and the government reported they were murdered by the United Warriors Cartel in Cocula. According to the past administration, it was the Iguala police who handed over the students to the criminal group. Nevertheless, since the reopening of the case, new findings incriminating Enrique Peña Nieto’s government are popping up.

Support to Baja California’s Governor. President López Obrador expressed his support to Marina del Pilar Ávila, Baja California’s Governor after last week’s violent acts across the state, after accusations from former state Governor, Jaime Bonilla against Pilar Ávila for supposedly making agreements with the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel (CJNG) which unraveled the violence.

Rescue of mine workers. The National Civil Protection Coordinator Laura Velázquez reported that water levels decreased significantly at the Pinabete Mine where mine workers remain trapped and said that efficient work to rescue them will be done during the next days.

On August 3, 15 miners were working at a depth of 60m in the coal mine located in Sabinas, Coahuila, when the walls of the tunnels collapsed, flooding the three pits. For a week, authorities have been draining the water to enter the mine and rescue the miners, whose health status remains unknown. At the time of the accident, five of the 15 mine workers managed to escape. Currently, the relatives of the victims have complained about the lack of transparency and progress of the authorities. The authorities explained that they have not been able to rescue the miners because water levels in the wells have risen significantly. Consequently, the government strategy has been changed to permanent pumping of the pits, drilling 20 wells and injecting cement to seal galleries in the coal plate.