VILLA UNION, Mexico — When dozens of pickup trucks crowded with armed men and mounted machine guns roared into Villa Union, residents of the small town near the U.S. border began to realize they were the target of a military-style invasion. What followed were hours-long gunbattles between a cartel force...
Cartel Sieges Leave Mexicans Wondering If Criminals Run the Country
Recent deadly attacks by criminal organizations have instilled fear across Mexico. In mid-October, shootouts between cartels and police in the states of Guerrero and Michoacán killed over 30 people. And a 12-hour criminal assault on Culiacán, Sinaloa, after Mexican security forces captured the son of drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo”...
NFL's Wild Week 11 Included Garrett, Kaepernick, Mexico
The NFL's wild Week 11 featured Myles Garrett getting in a swivet, Colin Kaepernick's pivot and all those Azteca Stadium divots. The bookends were the fracas that occurred Thursday night in the closing seconds of Cleveland's 21-7 win against Pittsburgh and the Chiefs' 24-17 victory over the Chargers on Monday night in Mexico in a...
Deadly Ambush on Americans Shows Mexico Lost Control of Area
COLONIA LEBARON, Mexico — When drug cartel gunmen opened fire on American women and children in northern Mexico, the Mexican Army, the National Guard and Sonora state police were not there to protect them. It took them about eight hours just to arrive. To villagers and others, the bloodshed seemed...
After Deadly Mexico Ambush, Stories of Bravery and Horror
GALEANA, Mexico — The eight children, some mere infants, who survived the ambush in northern Mexico not only escaped the drug cartel gunmen who killed their mothers but managed to hide in the brush, with some walking miles to get help despite grisly bullet wounds. In a testament to a...
Failed Raid Against El Chapo's Son Leaves 8 Dead in Mexico
CULIACAN, Mexico — Mexican security forces aborted an attempt to capture a son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman after finding themselves outgunned in a ferocious shootout with cartel henchmen that left at least eight people dead and more than 20 wounded, authorities said Friday. The gunbattle Thursday...
Mexico Claims Success in Stopping Migrants; Activists Say No
MEXICO CITY — Under threat of crippling U.S. tariffs, Mexico said Friday it had reduced the flow of migrants arriving at its northern border by 56% in three months. Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said he believes Mexico's strategy of cracking down on illegal migration with a National Guard deployment, investment...
Military Base Cuts Affect Schools, Target Ranges, More
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will cut funding from military projects like schools, target ranges and maintenance facilities to pay for the construction of 175 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, diverting a total $3.6 billion to President Donald Trump's long-promised barrier. Projects in 23 states, 19 countries and three...
Mexico’s New Drug War May Be Worse Than Old One
COATZACOALCOS, Mexico — Mexico's drug war appears to be back — and it may be worse this time around than in the bloody years of the government's 2006-2012 offensive against drug cartels. Back then, the worst of the violence was confined to a few cities. Now it is spread out...
Mexico’s New Drug War May Be Worse Than Old One
COATZACOALCOS, Mexico — Mexico's drug war appears to be back — and it may be worse this time around than in the bloody years of the government's 2006-2012 offensive against drug cartels. Back then, the worst of the violence was confined to a few cities. Now it is spread out...