By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
The bodies of five men were found scattered throughout an agave field outside the town of Rancho Nuevo de Potreros, in Pénjamo, south-eastern Guanajuato.
According to Noticias NPI, police officers responded to the scene after receiving a tip from a local. Upon arriving, they found the bodies of five men spread throughout a field on the outskirts of Rancho Nuevo de Potreros.
Correo Periódico wrote that the bodies showed signs of strangulation. Another source, Noticias NPI reported that the bodies did not show any signs of bullet or knife wounds.
Borderland Beat Analysis
Since 2018, Guanajuato has been the most violent state in Mexico by homicide count. Last year there were 2,875 homicides in the state, just under 10% of the nations’ total. This carnage is due to the years long conflict between the CJNG and CSRL, two criminal groups waging war for control of Guanajuato’s local meth sales, fuel theft, and extortion markets.
In recent years, the Sinaloa Cartel have also joined the fight against their longtime rivals the CJNG. In the late 2010s, the Sinaloa Cartel supported the CSRL with weapons, but recently have begun deploying hitmen in the south-eastern part of Guanajuato. This is the region where this event happened. It is unclear who the victims and aggressors are.
 |
| Map: Created by security analyst David Saucedo, December 2023. |
Sources: Correo Periódico, Noticias NPI, Informe de Seguridad 13/12/23