In the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, a tragic incident occurred where six members of a family, including a baby and a toddler, were murdered in an attack linked to cartel violence. The assault took place on Sunday night in the city of Leon when armed attackers stormed into the family’s home and opened fire.
According to the state governor, Diego Sinhue Rodriguez, the victims included four women, an eight-month-old baby, and a two-year-old boy. Two men survived the attack by hiding on the roof upon seeing the attackers approaching.
Guanajuato has become one of Mexico’s most violent states, plagued by ongoing turf wars between rival cartels involved in drug trafficking and other illicit activities.
Six family members, including two children, were killed in the Guanajuato cartel attack.
The state has a population of just over six million but has experienced a disproportionate level of violence, including the highest number of police fatalities in the country. In 2023 alone, about 60 police officers were shot to death in Guanajuato, surpassing the total number of police fatalities in the entire United States.
The violence in Guanajuato is not an isolated occurrence. In April, a mayoral candidate was assassinated in the street shortly after launching her campaign. In December, an attack on a pre-Christmas party resulted in 11 deaths and numerous injuries.
Additionally, the bodies of five university students were discovered in a vehicle on a dirt road, further highlighting the state’s rampant violence. The ongoing conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel and the Jalisco cartel for control over the region has significantly contributed to the bloodshed.
Since 2006, when the Mexican government deployed the military to combat drug trafficking, the country has recorded over 450,000 murders, with the majority attributed to criminal gangs. Guanajuato’s escalating violence exemplifies the broader national crisis, where cartel rivalries and criminal activities continue to fuel widespread violence and insecurity across Mexico.
