Clash Between Security Forces and Gunmen in Guanajuato Leaves 10 Dead and Three Officers Injured
A violent clash between security forces and suspected criminals on Monday in Guanajuato, one of Mexico’s most dangerous states, resulted in the deaths of 10 suspected gang members and three police officers being injured.
The early morning shootout occurred during a joint operation between police and military personnel in the municipality of Yuriria, located in central Mexico’s industrial heartland, an area heavily affected by gang warfare. This region is known for its ongoing conflict between rival drug cartels, including the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel.
Initially, the Guanajuato state security department reported that eight gunmen had been killed during the confrontation, but later updates confirmed two additional bodies had been found, bringing the total to 10 deaths. The state security statement confirmed that the security forces had used “legitimate and proportional force” during the operation.
Three police officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the exchange, and security personnel seized a dozen firearms, several stolen vehicles, and ballistic vests at the scene.
Violence in Guanajuato has escalated due to the fierce competition between the local Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, both of which are vying for control over the lucrative drug trade in the region. Since the Mexican government deployed the army to combat organized crime in 2006, more than 450,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence across the country.
Under President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office on October 1 as Mexico’s first female president, gang violence remains a persistent challenge. While Sheinbaum has rejected a full-scale war on the cartels, her administration continues to focus on addressing the root causes of crime through social policies and enhanced intelligence operations.
