(Image Credit: IMAGN) Mexican military and National Guard troops search the embankment of the Rio Grande for smugglers in the Valley of Juárez on Feb. 5, 2025. The soldiers were deployed as part of the binational agreement between Mexico and the U.S. to avoid tariffs on Mexican exports to the U.S.
El Paso, Texas – A wave of coordinated cartel attacks in western Mexico left five soldiers dead and two wounded late Sunday, marking another escalation in the country’s ongoing battle with organized crime. Authorities say the violence, which erupted along the Jalisco-Michoacan border, was orchestrated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)—one of Mexico’s most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations.
The attacks began with a series of hijackings, where vehicles were stolen and set on fire along highways to create chaos. The violence soon escalated, with gunmen targeting security forces.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred around 6 p.m. on a highway between La Piedad and Zamora, Michoacan. Armed assailants laid metal spikes across the road, puncturing the tires of a Mexican Army convoy. As the soldiers attempted to fix their vehicles, they were ambushed by gunfire, leaving three dead and two injured.
Shortly after, another attack unfolded just across the state line in La Barca, Jalisco, where cartel gunmen opened fire on a National Guard patrol, killing two more officers.
Videos circulating online show masked men with automatic weapons firing from behind parked vehicles, further underscoring the intensity of the assault.In the aftermath of the violence, authorities scrambled to regain control of the region. Michoacan Public Safety Secretary announced on X that security forces had been deployed across Zamora, La Piedad, and Jiquilpan to hunt down those responsible.
Meanwhile, Samuel Hidalgo, mayor of La Piedad, urged residents to stay alert, stating on social media:
“Because of the attacks, vehicles were set on fire in different portions of the region. Public safety agencies are working to maintain order. Take your precautions in the area!”
Mexican news outlet Aristegui Noticias reported that the National Guard has linked the attacks to a CJNG lieutenant, though officials have not yet released a name.Sunday’s attacks are the latest example of the increasingly brazen tactics used by CJNG, which has expanded its influence through brutal violence, extortion, and drug trafficking. The cartel is known for highly coordinated ambushes against law enforcement, often leaving police and military forces outgunned.
With tensions escalating in Michoacan and Jalisco, the attacks highlight Mexico’s ongoing struggle to curb cartel violence in one of its most volatile regions.
Authorities continue to investigate and search for the assailants, but for now, the streets remain on edge, and residents fear what could come next.
