Residents of the community of San Pedro Huitzapula, in the municipality of Atlixtac, pleaded for help this Thursday due to attacks involving gunfire and explosives dropped from drones since the early morning of Tuesday, May 12, by a criminal group.
On May 12, the violence escalated in the early morning hours with the explosion of two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the burning of four houses on the outskirts of Huitzapula.
According to a statement released this Thursday by the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center, San Pedro Huitzapula has been experiencing 17 days of violence perpetrated by more than 300 armed civilians, who call themselves community police.
The statement reported that yesterday, May 13, around 10:00 p.m., at least 80 women sought refuge in the municipal police station, including 17 girls and 15 boys. This Thursday morning, April 14, they awoke to the sound of bombs and gunfire just 500 meters from their homes.
Approximately 600 people are requesting increased security from Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. According to their statement, they argue that “the violence perpetrated by Los Ardillos has left dead and displaced families. We live in constant fear, while the authorities have abandoned us since April 27. Criminals have returned to Totolapa, Zoyaltepec, Huixtlatzala, Totoltemec, Mexcaltepec, and Meyoltepec.”
According to Tlachinollan, the residents hold the “community police of San Juan Escalerilla, Evelyn Salgado (Governor of Guerrero), and Claudia Sheinbaum (President of Mexico) responsible for any harm that may befall our community.”
They also reported that classes have been suspended since Monday, May 11, and there is no transportation service, as the attacks began according to Tlachinollan on April 27, and have continued to this day, without any federal or state authority intervening in the security problem.
Source: meganoticias
