The price of tortillas in Iguala, in the state of Guerrero, was reduced on the instructions of alleged members of the criminal group 'Cartel de la Sierra' or 'Los Tlacos', otherwise "they will face the consequences."
The price of the tortilla ranged between 33 and 29 pesos per kilo in municipalities of the Tierra Caliente region and the Costa Grande de Guerrero, respectively, until the criminal group forced the owners of tortilla shops to lower the price to 21 pesos per kilo 'as of this August 15 and in support of the Igualteca families' and market it two pesos cheaper for local taqueros.
Members of the criminal group placed signs on at least 60 units stating, "it is reported that as of this August 15 and in support of the families of the same, the price of the kilogram of tortillas will cost $21.00 pesos, while the dough will cost $12.00 and for taqueros, a kilo of tortillas will cost $19.00 pesos.”
However, the fluctuation in tortilla prices is due to the fee or “floor right” that criminal groups charge tortilla outlets to keep them in operation. At the end of June alone, around 50 tortilla shops closed their doors for several days, according to several local media reports.
It is documented that the 'Cartel de la Sierra' or the 'Tlacos' have taken this type of measure before, since in October of last year they also forced the dough and tortilla manufacturers in Iguala to lower their prices from $26 to 23 a kilogram of tortilla and from $15 to 12 pesos for dough.
But the tortilla business is not the only one that has been devastated in Guerrero by the 'Cartel de la Sierra', its disputes with rival groups, and the collection of floor rights to industries and commercial and mercantile businesses, such as poultry.
Organized crime practically plundered the chicken shops in Chilpancingo during the month of June, after various armed attacks and the murder of at least eight distributors, a situation that caused the closure of dozens of chicken shops, as well as the sale of frozen and leftover chicken, in the establishments that ventured to open.
Chicken prices skyrocketed reaching prices of up to $220 pesos for a whole chicken.
Even on Monday, the Guerrero Attorney General's Office revealed that in the case of the recent murder of journalist Fredid Román and that of his son Bladimir Román (on June 1), who was dedicated to the distribution of chickens in the markets of the entity, investigates the relationship that may exist between both crimes and the acts of violence unleashed by the crime organizations.
With information from El Financiero
