Four Mexican soldiers died in two separate incidents this week where cartel gunmen used improvised explosive devices and land mines in the rural areas of the state of Michoacán. The explosives are part of a strategy used by rival cartels waging a fierce turf war for control of drug production and trafficking routes.
The first explosion happened place early this week in the town of Cotija, Michoacán, where a convoy of Mexican soldiers was carrying out routine patrols. The soldiers came up to an area where cartel gunmen laid a minefield. According to information released by Mexico’s Army, seven soldiers sustained injuries when the vehicles set off the landmines. Two of those soldiers, Antonio Israel “R” and Martin “G,” died from their injuries.
Landmine blast area in Michoacan. (Credit: Breitbart Texas / Cartel Chronicles)
During a news conference, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, Mexico’s Secretary of Defense, revealed that military intelligence blamed the attack on Carteles Unidos. As Breitbart Texas reported, Carteles Unidos is an alliance of smaller organizations and remnants of other cartels such as Los Viagras, La Familia Michoacana, and others who joined forces to fight off the expansion of Cartel Jalisco New Generation.
According to Trevilla Trejo, Carteles Unidos is believed to be behind the use of minefields to stop the incursions of convoys of armored vehicles from CJNG.
Mexican authorities sealed off a cartel minefield. (Credit: Breitbart Texas / Cartel Chronicles)
Just days after the initial fatality, two other soldiers died near the town of Buena Vista in a similar case where they drove over another minefield.
Mexican authorities work to dismantle a cartel minefield. (Credit: Breitbart Texas / Cartel Chronicles)
In the aftermath of the two attacks, Mexican military forces and state police forces began to carry out a series of operations where they have been identifying and trying to disarm cartel minefields.
According to El Sol de Zamora, the Michoacan Secretary of State Carlos Torres Pina said the state is looking into purchasing anti-mine personnel carriers and equipment to deactivate explosives.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at
