Posted on 05/10/2007 1:39:33 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
ACAPULCO, Mexico — Gunmen opened fire on a naval commander in the Pacific resort city of Ixtapa and killed his bodyguard amid increasing attacks on the Mexican military by suspected drug traffickers.
The navy secretary said in a release Thursday that several sailors were traveling in a vehicle with their commander when four gunmen in two vehicles cut them off and riddled the car with bullets at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the hotel zone of city, about 155 miles north of Acapulco.
The commander's bodyguard, Francisco Javier Sanchez, was killed and two others were wounded in the attack, which took place near the commander's residence, the release said.
The assailants fled, and no arrests were made.
Drug gangs have increasingly attacked the military in recent weeks during a nationwide crackdown on organized crime.
Five soldiers, including a colonel, and a suspected drug cartel enforcer were killed last week in a shootout in central-west Michoacan state. Days later, four purported drug smugglers and three soldiers were injured in another shootout in the same state.
On Wednesday, suspected drug traffickers attacked a military checkpoint in the Pacific resort of Huatulco. One attacker was killed.
Since taking office in December, President Felipe Calderon has sent more than 20,000 troops to areas plagued by drug violence, including Guerrero state, where Ixtapa is located.
Mexico needs to emulate the Colombian government’s pursuit of Escobar.
Mexico has a navy? Who knew?
I wonder if they are tucked and rolled, chopped and lowered with lifts, and with those big wheels and the little skinny tires.
Acapulco ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
You MUST in El-Lay, where the cholos are kings.
I wish I could afford to hire somebody to guard my navel. That would be cool!
I used to be. Now I’m in Texas and they have them here too.
I was at a mall tonight (I almost never go, I don’t like to shop) looking for a car cell phone charger and I’m always stunned at how trashy so many people in our culture are. Things have gone way down hill since I was a kid. The way people dress, talk and act. Trash is taking over.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.