• EXECUTION: Seven workers of a beer depot in the US border city of Reynosa (pop. 881,000) were killed execution-style Sunday morning by an unknown group of gunmen in what authorities suspect was an extortion attempt by criminal groups against the business.
• EXTORTION: According to Tamaulipas state authorities, footage from security cameras confirmed that the killings were a result of a direct attack and not as a result of a robbery attempt. Neighbours confirmed several small businesses have closed due to criminal extortion.
• VIOLENCE: Even before the worldwide coronavirus outbreak, the US Department of State advised against traveling to Reynosa (just south of Hidalgo, Texas) due to recurring criminal violence. Several factions linked to the former Gulf and Zetas drug cartels fight over control of the area.
• NUMBERS: Extortion statistics in Tamaulipas are unreliable given factors preventing people to present complaints including fear of reprisal. According to the latest numbers from Mexico’s statistics agency (INEGI), the estimated rate of extortion crimes per 100,000 was 5,962 in 2018.
