Baja California: Narco and politics, after the massacre in San Vicente Ferrer

Although the first official version of the cause of the massacre on Saturday the 20th in San Vicente Ferrer points to a confrontation between criminal gangs, the death of a delegate and a political operator in that attack sparked suspicions and questions from the state governor and the Mayor of Ensenada. The unprecedented seizure of cocaine in the port of that city added suspicion to the debate.

ENSENADA, BC (Process).– On board a vehicle reported stolen in the United States, the hitmen went around the San Vicente Ferrer delegation on Friday the 19th, 84 kilometers from the port of Ensenada, and waited for the arrival of the tour contingent recreational called “Cachanillazo 2023”.

In the area of ​​Playa Hermosa, in the port city just over an hour from the southern Californian border, the atmosphere was festive: people enjoyed the display of hundreds of participating vehicles.

It was not a competition or a rally, but the fifth edition of a recreational walk, whose announcement – ​​endorsed by the Ensenada city council – specified that, after paying an unspecified registration, one would have access to the “guided route GPS file” , in addition to “first aid assistance” and “24/7 security”.

However, it did not set out an official course, unlike popular off-road races like the Baja 1000 and Baja 500.

At nine o’clock on Saturday the 20th, according to the inscription, the trip would begin; fans of this type of encounter commented to Process that apparently the intention was to reach San Quintín and return to the port, although they were never clear about it.

After 2:00 p.m., alerts and videos began to circulate on social networks to warn that a shooting had occurred at kilometer 90 of the Transpeninsular highway and in the aforementioned delegation.

The first images showed a hooded group with long weapons when they riddled an all-terrain vehicle with the crew on board, and even approaching to finish them off, while the people around fled.

Later, other recordings circulated that gave an account of the consternation of the witnesses of the massacre; the noise of the shots from a distance and the corpses thrown on the side of the road, while the federal authorities protected the delegation of some five thousand inhabitants and less than 200 businesses.

10 people were killed, including a woman, and 10 were injured, including a 13-year-old boy.

Among the dead are the delegate of San Antonio de las Minas, José Eduardo Orozco Gil, political operator of the Labor Party (PT) of Ensenada -as confirmed by the organization in an obituary that he disseminated on social networks-, and Alonso Arámbula Piña, El Trébol, designated as an alleged member of the Cartel of Sinaloa (CDS).

Both were traveling in the Can-Am Maverick all-terrain vehicle, valued at more than 700,000 pesos, on whose windshield at least 11 bullet holes were visible to the naked eye. The authorities attributed the attack to the confrontation between organized crime groups.

Two of the injured were treated in San Vicente Ferrer and the others were taken to the Ensenada General Hospital. The minor underwent a chest tube operation, to be transferred to the United States on Tuesday the 23rd, according to health personnel.

According to official figures, until the preparation of this report, among the victims were “three in serious condition and seven stable and discharged.”

The bodies were transferred to the Forensic Medical Service (Semefo) of Ensenada, whose facilities have been kept under heavy surveillance. According to data from the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE), as of Monday the 22nd, only five people had come forward to claim bodies.

Relatives of Roberto Isaías Tito Ayala, one of those killed, opened an account on the Gofundme platform in order to raise funds to transfer his remains to San Diego, California, in addition to clarifying: “He was an innocent bystander. Isaías was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and unfortunately he died running for his own life ”, according to the testimonial shared on the page. So far they have raised more than $13,000.

The victim was 22 years old, wife and a four-year-old daughter. She had just bought her car and it was her dream to participate in this type of tour.

From Sunday the 21st to Wednesday the 24th, at different points in the port of Ensenada, three narco-banners have appeared pointing to the alleged masterminds, but as of press time, the authorities have not ruled on the matter.

Fear, chaos and 253 casings

FGE personnel returned with 253 casings from San Vicente Ferrer and reported that at least 13 firearms had been used: four short (one 38 super caliber and three 9 mm caliber); seven long weapons (.223 mm caliber) and two AK-47 cuernos de chivo.

In turn, they reported eight vehicles involved, including that of the aggressors: a black Infinity Qx60 truck with tinted windows, with at least three bullet wounds and traces of blood inside; had a report of theft since last April.

The units are sheltered in the patios of the state agency while the investigations are carried out.

General Leopoldo Tizoc Aguilar Durán, Secretary of Citizen Security (SSC), and Ricardo Iván Carpio Sánchez, Attorney General of Baja California, confirmed on Monday the 22nd, at a press conference, the version of the confrontation.

All the information we have, all the evidence collected so far, gives us an indication that it was a direct attack from a confrontation between two antagonistic groups,” Aguilar Durán pointed out.

Carpio Sánchez explained: “First there was an attack against a group,” which was repelled with firearms. The main target was apparently El Trébol, also known as El Sonrics or Loncho.

Despite the seriousness of the case, the Morenista governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda took four days to establish her position, in addition to the fact that the chain of events questioned the security work in the entity.

Fragment of the report published in the 2430 edition of the magazine Proceso, whose digital edition can be purchased at this link.