A fierce gunbattle between suspected cartel members and police in the Mexican town of Villa Union, near the Texas border, resulted in at least 21 fatalities. The intense shootout, which lasted approximately an hour, occurred on Saturday and involved a convoy of armed individuals attacking local government offices.
Coahuila state Gov. Miguel Angel Riquelme reported that four police officers were among the initial casualties. Several municipal workers were also reported missing following the confrontation. Subsequent reports indicated that security forces killed seven additional gang members, raising the total death toll to at least 21, according to FOX News.
The armed group, believed to be affiliated with the Cartel of the Northeast (Cartel del Noreste or C.D.N.), stormed Villa Union, a town of roughly 3,000 residents located about an hour’s drive southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas. The attackers arrived in a convoy of trucks and targeted local government buildings, prompting a response from state and federal forces.
Videos circulating on social media depicted burned-out vehicles and the municipal office building riddled with bullet holes. An Associated Press photo showed a damaged black pickup truck with the C.D.N. insignia emblazoned on its door. Authorities identified 14 vehicles involved in the attack and seized over a dozen firearms. Reuters reported that three suspected gunmen were killed during the initial pursuit as they attempted to flee into the surrounding rugged terrain.
In response to the assault, Gov. Riquelme stated that security forces would maintain a presence in Villa Union to restore order. He also noted the town’s proximity to the site of a 2011 cartel massacre where approximately 70 people were killed. “These groups won’t be allowed to enter state territory,” the Coahuila state government affirmed in a statement.
The incident occurred shortly after President Trump suggested designating Mexican drug cartels as terror organizations. In early November, a drug cartel ambush that killed nine American citizens in Sonora state had already heightened international scrutiny of violence in Mexico. The victims, members of dual-citizen families residing in La Mora, were traveling to visit relatives when they were attacked. Trump subsequently called on Mexico to “wage war” on the cartels and stated his administration was actively pursuing the terror organization designation.
Mexican President López Obrador responded to Trump’s comments by asserting that he would not accept foreign intervention in Mexico. Gov. Riquelme echoed this sentiment, stating, “I don’t think that Mexico needs intervention. I think Mexico needs collaboration and cooperation. We’re convinced that the state has the power to overcome the criminals.”
U.S. Attorney General William Barr was scheduled to visit Mexico to discuss security cooperation. Mexico’s murder rate has been on the rise, with a 2 percent increase in homicides during the first 10 months of López Obrador’s presidency. Federal officials reported 29,414 homicides in 2019, compared to 28,869 during the same period the previous year. López Obrador’s “hugs, not bullets” policy of non-violent engagement with drug cartels has faced increasing criticism in light of the escalating violence.
BOOKS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT READERS: THE COURAGEOUS POLICE LEADER: A SURVIVAL GUIDE TO COMBATTING COWARDS, CHAOS, AND LIES JURISDICTION: A COP AND A PASTOR TALK ABOUT LIFE THE SPIRIT BEHIND BADGE 145: A PERSONAL WALK AND DEVOTIONAL WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL