Mexican military forces clashed with civilians in Chiapas after a week of violence. Around 600 Mexican forces were deployed to the Guatemalan border region of Frontera Comalapa to quell the violence which has seen around 3,000 civilians displaced from their community. Local outlets claim the violence is between the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG. The military forces were met with civilian protestors armed with sticks and stones. The military responded with tear gas and eventually entered the community. According to AP news, reporting on the ground, civilians stated there were no criminals in their community, and subsequently didn’t want the military to enter. They also stated they didn’t want harassment from the military.
Mexico: Protests in Comalapa, Chiapas requiring the intervention of Mexican security forces.
The protesters were denying the ability of Mexican soldiers to enter the area and secure the border with Guatemala. Comalapa has seen increased violence recently between CJNG and… pic.twitter.com/5bnkLQijCj
— Cartel Watch (@CartelWatchNet) May 31, 2023
This comes after violence in the past week within the border region of Chiapas. Social media footage began circulation online of civilians fleeing their homes from the violence and forced recruitment from criminal groups in the region. Videos also surfaced of cartel monsters (armoured vehicles) patrolling the streets of Chiapas. According to local media, this conflict has been ongoing for two years between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG. The clashes, which began last Monday, have allegedly killed 60 individuals.
