The United States authorities issued a security alert that urged their citizens to take precautions when traveling to the Mexicali Valley, due to the violent clashes between drug cartels in Tijuana.
“Travelers should exercise extra caution when traveling in and around Mexicali, the Mexicali Valley, and the western part of the state of Sonora due to the potential for increased violence between rival cartel factions. Members of the embassy community have been warned to avoid the Mexicali area until further notice,” the US embassy said.
The area is in dispute by forces of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG). The Jalisco cartel issued a message in early April with threats to intensify the violent wave in Baja California, in an open dispute against federal and local authorities.
CJNG threatens Tijuana
On April 1, a video made by the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel began to circulate on social networks, in which they threatened Jaime Bonilla Valdez, Governor of Baja California, and the members of his Cabinet.
In the five minutes recording, at least 14 hitmen are observed, wearing balaclavas, bulletproof vests with the letters “CJNG” on their chests, and various long weapons.
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“This statement is to inform the general population of the state of Baja California that the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel is present in their state and wants to let them know that the deaths that are occurring are due to internal corruption within the police corporations of the three levels of government. Being the federal, state, and municipal, PGR, FGR, FGE, Baja California State Security and Investigation Guard, Municipal Public Security Secretariat”, the video began.
The following day, April 2, the CJNG set fire to an official vehicle of the Baja California State Attorney General’s Office in response to a major police intervention in which several arrests were made.
On April 8, a new attack was registered against the local authorities, according to reports from the local media, at least two white pickup trucks were burned with Molotov cocktails, which belonged to the FGR.
