By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
A wave of attacks against taxi drivers left at least five dead and another five injured along with several vehicles burnt in the city of Chilpancingo, Guerrero. The attacks may be related to a recent arrest of taxi drivers which caused protest from the taxi union.
The first sign of violence occurred early Friday morning, when gunmen fired into the air near the Attorney General’s office and burned a taxi. The violence resumed on Saturday. As the day went on, attacks began occurring around the city of Chilpancingo.
According to Proceso, the attacks are related to the recent arrest of taxi driver Jesús Echevarría and taxi union representative Bernardo Chávez, who were both arrested in possession of drugs and ammunition on Thursday.
In response to their arrest, hundreds of taxi drivers blocked a major highway and have suspended service to several regions.
So far, five taxi drivers have been killed, another five have been wounded, and six vehicles have been burned.
Timeline of events
Friday, July 7, 2023
Just after midnight on Friday, armed men fired into the air in front of the office of the Attorney General (FGR) and threw molotov cocktails at a nearby taxi, burning it.
Later, around 3:00 a.m., men attempted to burn another taxi on Calle Melchor Ocampo.
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Two taxi drivers burned inside their cars on the Chilpancingo-Petaquillas route.
The driver of a taxi van was killed with gunshots on the Chilpancingo-Petaquillas route.
A driver gunned down on the Circuito Azul-Borbollón route, near Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (UPN).
A driver on the Chilpancingo-Tepechicotlán route was attacked by gunfire, but survived, and was taken to a hospital.
Around 5:30 PM, another taxi van was attacked by a gunman who left three people injured on the Chilpancingo-Chilapa route.
Another attack was reported in the El Potrerito neighborhood.
Around midnight, men on the back of a motorcycle through a Molotov cocktail at a taxi van, partially burning it.
Simultaneously, another parked taxi van was burned in the same manner by the nearby Iglesia de San Francisco.
