New episode of violence by the CJNG in Zamora
An armed attack perpetrated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in the municipality of Zamora, Michoacán, ended the life of a 16-year-old teenager and left two more minors with injuries. The events occurred in front of a home in the Valencia First Section neighborhood, where armed individuals shot at the young people without provocation. Federal authorities confirmed the participation of CJNG cells, a group that operates in the border area with Jalisco.
Pattern of violence against civilians
This incident represents the third attack directed against minors in Michoacán in less than seven days. On July 26, in the town of El Coire (municipality of Aquila), the same cartel executed two children aged 11 and 12, along with an adult, during a violent raid on a home. The Indigenous Council of the Sierra-Costa described the events as a crime against humanity and demanded urgent intervention from the federal authorities.
Previously, in Coahuayana, a 13-year-old girl was seriously injured during a combined operation with assault rifles and explosives, despite the proximity of a military base. Witnesses reported that the federal forces did not intervene during the attack, and the Community Police were the ones who rescued the minor under crossfire. The victim was taken to a hospital in Tecomán, Colima, where he remains in stable condition.
Lack of institutional response
Relatives of the victims, like Abelardo, a day laborer from the region, denounced the government’s inaction: “The security forces are for decoration while the criminals act with impunity.” They pointed out that, despite the presence of military installations and the National Guard, CJNG operations continue to escalate in cruelty, particularly against the civilian population not involved in conflicts between cartels.
Security analysts highlight that these events reflect a deliberate strategy by the CJNG to sow terror in communities that resist its territorial control. The recurrence of attacks against minors – considered “collateral damage” by criminal groups – shows the deterioration of the rule of law in the region.
Civil organizations demand that the federal government implement specialized protocols to protect the child population in conflict zones, as well as transparent investigations that prevent revictimization. The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) initiated a file to document possible human rights violations by state and non-state actors.
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