• WEEKEND: The central state of Guanajuato was left reeling after a violent weekend along the Celaya-Salamanca industrial corridor that left 33 people killed, businesses set ablaze and highway blockades following the arrest of a local crime boss’ family members.
• ORGANIZATION: Leader of a local crime organization involved in fuel theft, extortion and drug trafficking, José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, aka “El Marro”, is considered a key target of Mexico’s law enforcement agencies. The Mexican military confirmed the arrest of his mother on Saturday.
• THREATS: Involved in a local gang war against members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), “El Marro” publicly threaten to unleash more violence in the state. In 2019, Guanajuato recorded 2,863 murders becoming Mexico’s most violent state.
• ADVISORY: In March, the US Department of State issued a travel advisory for officials not to travel to the industrial corridor in southern Guanajuato, which includes Celaya and other relatively wealthy cities. During the first five months of 2020, murders in Guanajuato reached 1,903.
