Radical students in southern Mexico hijacked a fuel tanker truck and two buses Wednesday and later kidnapped four police officers to demand the release of about 10 students arrested over the vehicle thefts.
The events marked the latest chapter of violence at a rural teachers college where 43 students were kidnapped in 2014 and remain missing.
Students at the college have staged bus hijackings for years, and apparently stole the fuel tank Wednesday to gas up a fleet of hijacked passenger buses they are holding on the campus. They also hijacked a number of smaller trucks used to deliver bakery goods and snacks.
Roberto Alvarez, security spokesman for Guerrero state, told the Milenio television news channel that the students took the tanker truck back to their campus, but police blocked their path and forced them to abandon two hijacked passenger buses. He said the students apparently were trying to ram the buses into a police checkpoint.
Police arrested about 10 students. But other students later went to the nearby town of Tixtla and kidnapped four local policemen to demand the release of those arrested.
Alvarez said the students would probably be released in exchange for the police officers.
A statement released by the committee of parents of the disappeared students claimed that police opened fire on the hijacked buses, calling that “an excessive use of force.”
“We condemn the brutal aggression against our youths, and demand an end to the repression,” the committee wrote.
The teachers college in Ayotzinapa espouses socialist education and its students have long hijacked vehicles, fuel and delivery trucks and taken over toll booths to finance their political movement and recruit students.
It was during one such outing in hijacked buses in 2014 that local police in the nearby city of Iguala intercepted several busloads of students on Sept. 26, 2014, and turned 43 of the young people over to a local drug cartel. Federal prosecutors say the cartel killed the students and burned their bodies, but tests on charred bone fragments have positively identified only one student.
The student violence came one day after the discovery of the bodies of two men and two youths who were apparently lined up against a wall and shot in another part of Guerrero state.
Alvarez said two of the victims appeared to be between 15 and 20 years old. The other two were slightly older. Alvarez said a motive for the killings was under investigation.
The bodies were found Tuesday under an overpass on a highway in the township of Coyuca, which is just northwest of the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco. The region has been hit by killings over drug trafficking, extortion, vigilante activity, illegal logging and land disputes.
Trending News on PVDN
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
‘Kingdoms of Mexico’ Distinction Launches to Boost Tourist Destinations With European Influences Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - Miguel Torruco Marqués, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), introduced the new 'Kingdoms of Mexico' distinction, a major initiative designed to enhance the appeal of Mexico's tourist communities on an international level. The announcement came during a presentation attended by the governors of Tlaxcala, Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros; Baja California,…
Popocatépetl Volcano Resumes Activity; Authorities Maintain Alert Status PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - After a period of relative calm last week, Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano resumed minor activity on Friday night and through Saturday night, as reported by the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC). This comes following significant explosions last weekend that put nearby communities on high alert. The resumed activity was characterized by minor…
Puerto Vallarta Set to Celebrate 105th Anniversary as Municipality and 55th as a City with Grand Festivities PUERTO VALLARTA - The coastal paradise of Puerto Vallarta is poised to celebrate two landmark anniversaries: the 105th anniversary of its recognition as a municipality and the 55th anniversary of its elevation to city status, with a grand commemoration on May 31, 2023. The celebrations have been meticulously planned by the municipal government led by…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
SEAPAL Vallarta Launches New Vallarta II Tank to Reinforce Drinking Water Supply PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - SEAPAL Vallarta, the local water management authority, announced the successful integration and activation of the new Vallarta II Tank to its drinking water distribution system on Tuesday, May 30. This strategic addition is expected to enhance the availability of water in Vallarta homes, a pressing issue in the wake of the…
Two More Puerto Vallarta Beaches Are Awarded Blue Flags Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, Puerto Vallarta is set to host six beaches awarded with the Blue Flag accreditation, an esteemed international recognition for high environmental and quality standards. The Blue Flag committee has reconfirmed the status for four previously certified beaches while conferring this prestigious title to two new beaches…
LGBTIQ+ Community Member Disappears At Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - A member of the local LGBTIQ+ community has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, inciting deep concern within the community and calls for immediate action from local authorities. Rubén Michel Castro Guizar, 32, a deaf individual, was last seen on the night of Thursday, May 25th, attending the Vallarta Pride march. His disappearance…
45 Bags of Human Remains Discovered in Jalisco PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A chilling discovery of 45 bags filled with human remains in a deep ravine in the El Mirador del Bosque neighborhood of Zapopan has escalated the search for seven missing youths last seen at a local call center. The Jalisco Attorney General's Office confirmed late Wednesday that the gruesome discovery was…
Puerto Vallarta International Film Festival 2023 Program Revealed PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - The much-anticipated program for the Puerto Vallarta International Film Festival 2023 (FICPV), slated for June 8-11, was unveiled recently. The festival, organized by the Centro Universitario de la Costa, is an extension of the renowned Guadalajara International Film Festival of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG). Opening the festival will be a…
