From the Editors

Yesterday, federal and State security forces, with the support of airplanes, retook control of Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas, where several communities were the scene of confrontations between two organized crime groups last week, which caused the displacement of at least 3,000 residents.

Hundreds of troops left the municipality of Comitán early to head to the Joaquín Miguel Gutiérrez ejido, known as Quespala, some 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) from the municipal seat of Frontera Comalapa, where they encountered dozens of residents who tried to prevent their entry, and therefore there was a confrontation.

According to testimonies of neighbors, some people placed vehicles, tree trunks and a steel boom across the entrance to the community and started to throw sticks and stones at members of the security forces. They responded with tear gas in order to disperse the dissidents and then they took control of the town amid cries of rejection and complaints. The authorities did not disclose whether there were any injuries or arrests.

Another convoy entered the municipal seat at noon. There were no incidents in this case. Local residents explained that some uniformed forces arrived from Tapachula or from coastal municipalities. “There were so many Army cars and they stayed at the entrance.”

They indicated that a little before these forces arrived, a small plane, presumably of the Mexican Army, flew over the area; while in other regions, like Paso Hondo, on the border with Guatemala, several helicopters were seen.

On Monday, the Secretary of National Defense announced the start of this operation of the regional task force of the Seventh Military Region, the Navy, the National Guard, the Attorney General of the Republic, the State’s Attorney General and the state’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection.

Yesterday morning, a voice message was broadcast, attributed to an alleged leader of the El Maíz group, linked to the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), in which could be heard: “Compañeros of the foundation, Have a good morning. We’re going to be very relaxed, the law is coming, it’s going to do its job, it’s going to be searching.”

According to the inhabitants of Frontera Comalapa, the troops, as well as federal and state agents remained in the community as of Tuesday night, so daily activities were renewed.

They calculate that more than 1.000 members of the security forces participate in the operations implemented because of the roadblocks and confrontations that took place last week between members of the Jalisco Nueva Generación and the Sinaloa cartels, mostly in Nueva Independencia (Lajerío).

Originally Published in Spanish by La Jornada, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, https://www.jornada.com.mx/2023/05/31/estados/028n1est/ and Re-Published with English interpretation by the Chiapas Support Committee