@LaSillaRota
On the morning of Monday, April 17th, two people aboard a motorcycle shot dead Jeronimo Ruiz Lopez, alias “The Artisan” outside his home, who was the leader of one of the groups of artisans in the Santo Domingo market and who, together with his cousin Narcizo Ruiz, led the Association of Traditional Market Tenants of San Cristobal de Las Casas (ALMETRACH), allegedly linked to shock groups known as “motonetos”.
Following the incident, mobilizations of armed people and firearms were reported at various points, mainly in the northeast of the city. The burning of three houses, blockades in some streets and the homicide of two more people, for whom no data is yet available, was also reported.
Various media outlets spoke of “shootouts between two armed groups and vehicles on fire in their path”, but this information has not been corroborated. Videos and information circulated on social networks that caused panic among citizens, which ultimately resulted in the closure of businesses and the suspension of classes in most of the educational establishments of the municipality.
After the events, the mayor of the city, Mariano Diaz Ochoa, mentioned to the media that he requested the support of the National Guard and SEDENA to carry out an operation in the area and asked citizens to stay in their homes.
“It is better that they protect themselves and that they are all calm, that they are in their homes because we are going to do a sweep; The Mexican Army, National Guard, State Public Security, and Municipal Police, and we are going to pick up everyone we find on the street”, he stated.
Due to what happened and as a prevention, schools also suspended classes on Tuesday, likewise non-essential activities in government offices continue to be suspended.
For more information in Spanish:
Ocho horas de violencia en San Cristóbal de Las Casas; mueren 3 (La Jornada, 18 de abril 2023)
Matan a líder de “Los Motonetos”; se desatan balaceras y bloqueos en San Cristóbal (La SillaRota 17 de abril de 2023)
San Cristóbal de las Casas tomada por segunda ocasión por grupos del crimen organizado, tras asesinato de lider de comerciantes (Chiapas Paralelo 17 de abril de 2023)
Asesinan a líder de artesanos en Chiapas (17 de abril de 2023)
For more information from SIPAZ:
sipazen.wordpress.com 