Thirteen alleged hit men were linked to trial for confrontation with soldiers in Santa María del Oro

Federal authorities announced the connection to trial of 13 subjects who were captured after a confrontation with members of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena); the alleged hit men will continue their trial inside the Puente Grande Prison in Jalisco.

The Attorney General's Office (FGR) reported that “Humberto “H”, José “Z”, Juan “G”, Cristian “C”, Reynaldo “O”, Carlos “M”, Diego “M”, Francisco “H”, Luis “C”, David “E”, Luis “P”, Mario “M” and César “H”, are likely responsible for the commission of the crimes of attempted homicide, criminal association, carrying a weapon of aggravated fire, possession of cartridges and magazines for the exclusive use of the Armed Forces”, according to a statement issued by the agency.

On March 28, the alleged hit men held a clash with members of the Army who were patrolling in the hill of La Antena, a territory that belongs to the municipality of Santa María del Oro and shares a border with the state of Michoacán, and in which they intercepted the military elements to then fire at him.

One of the alleged criminals was killed by Sedena agents, while no casualties were recorded or injured by the military, who confiscated seven long guns and a Barret rifle, as well as a handgun, magazines and useful rifles.

“Due to this fact, the arsenal and the accused were placed at the disposal of the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), of the FGR, and referred them to the Specialized Judge, who described the detention as legal and issued the order to link them to the trial for the aforementioned crimes,” reported the FGR.

The suspects will be prosecuted by a District Judge specializing in the Accusatory Criminal System, who will listen to the evidence presented by the agents of the Office of the Prosecutor Specialized in Regional Control (FECOR) in its delegation corresponding to Jalisco.

During the month of March, the boundaries of Jalisco that adjoin the state of Michoacán were the epicenter of violence in the state, as the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) began an armed offensive to conquer new territory and defend what is already under its control.

On 11 March alone, there were two clashes in the region, since in the early hours of the morning, elements of the State Police were victims of an armed attack by civilians carrying high-powered rifles in the municipality of Jocotepec and confronted the uniformed men for no apparent reason, resulting in the death of two elements of public security.

Hours after the violent events, two cargo trucks were stolen and subsequently set on fire on the Jiquilpan-Manzanillo federal highway on the stretch leading to the port of Colima.

After being alerted to the violent events through social networks, the authorities of Tamazula reported that “As a result of the recent events of violence in communities surrounding the Municipality of Tamazula, from this moment on all government work and school work is suspended until further notice.”

Later, the authorities of the municipality deleted the message from their social networks and assured that public activities would continue normally, as the governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro, stated that “We have to move on, we cannot fall into panic and fear, based on information that is not always accurate and that seems to be defending themselves to cause alarm in the population,” the president said through a video posted on social networks.

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