Mexico -- A drug gang shot to death 20 people in the mountains of the southern Mexico state of Guerrero,.. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing Mexico (AP) — A drug gang shot to death 20 people in the mountains of the southern Mexico state of Guerrero Residents began burying the victims even as a video posted on social media showed men who identified themselves as the Tequileros gang claiming responsibility for the mass shooting WATCH: Sharp rise in murders of journalists in Mexico prompts calls for change The Guerrero state security council said gunmen burst into the town hall in the village of San Miguel Totolapan Wednesday and opened fire on a meeting the mayor was holding with other officials. Among the dead were Mayor Conrado Mendoza and his father, Juan Mendoza Acosta, a former mayor of the town. Most of the other victims were believed to be local officials. The walls of the town hall, which were surrounded by children’s fair rides at the time, were left riddled with bullets. However, residents said the attack that killed the mayor occurred a few blocks away. Totolapan is geographically large but sparsely populated mountainous township in a region known as Tierra Caliente, one of Mexico’s most conflict-ridden areas. There were so many victims that a backhoe was brought into the town’s cemetery to scoop out graves as residents began burying their dead Thursday. By midday, two bodies had already been buried and 10 more empty pits stood waiting. A procession of about 100 residents singing hymns walked solemnly behind a truck carrying the coffin of one man killed in the shooting. Once they neared the cemetery, several men hoisted the coffin out of the truck and walked with it the waiting grave. Dozens of soldiers were posted at the entrance to the town. Ricardo Mejia, Mexico’s assistant secretary of public safety, said the Tequileros are fighting the Familia Michoacana gang in the region and that the authenticity of the video was being verified. “This act occurred in the context of a dispute between criminal gangs,” Mejia said. “A group known as the Tequileros dominated the region for some time; it was a group that mainly smuggled and distributed opium, but also engaged in kidnapping, extortion and several killings in the region.” Totolapan was controlled for years by drug gang boss Raybel Jacobo de Almonte, known by his nickname as “El Tequilero” (“The Tequila Drinker”). In his only known public appearance, de Almonte was captured on video drinking with the elder Mendoza, who was then the town’s mayor-elect, in 2015. It was not clear if the elder Mendoza was there of his own free will, or had been forced to attend the meeting. In that video, de Almonte appeared so drunk he mumbled inaudibly and had to be held up in a sitting position by one of his henchmen. In 2016, Totolapan locals got so fed up with abductions by the Tequileros that they kidnapped the gang leader’s mother to leverage the release of others. While the Tequileros long depended on trafficking opium paste from local poppy growers, the growing use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl had reduced the demand for opium paste and lowered the level of violence in Guerrero. Also Wednesday, in the neighboring state of Morelos, a state lawmaker was shot to death in the city of Cuernavaca, south of Mexico City. Two armed men traveling on a motorcycle fatally shot state Deputy Gabriela Marín as she exited a vehicle outside a pharmacy. A person with Marín was reportedly wounded in the attack. “Based on the information we have, we cannot rule out a motive related to politics,” Mejia said of that killing. “The deceased, Gabriela Marín, had just taken office as a legislator in July, after another member of the legislature died, and there were several legal disputes concerning the seat.” The killing of Mendoza brought to 18 the number of mayors slain during the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and the number of state lawmakers to eight, according to data from Etellekt Consultores. Mexico’s Congress this week is debating the president’s proposal to extend the military’s policing duties to 2028. Last month, lawmakers approved López Obrador’s push to transfer the ostensibly civilian National Guard to military control. While attacks on public officials are not uncommon in Mexico, these come at a time when the López Obrador’s security strategy is being sharply debated. The president has placed tremendous responsibility in the armed forces rather than civilian police for reining in Mexico’s persistently high levels of violence. He pledged to continue, saying “we have to go on doing the same things, because it has brought results.” López Obrador sought to blame previous administrations for Mexico’s persistent problem of violence. “These are (criminal) organizations that have been there for a long time, that didn’t spring up in this administration,” López Obrador said. He also blamed local people in the Tierra Caliente region for supporting the gangs — and sometimes even electing them to office. “There are still communities that protect these groups, and even vote them into office as authorities,” the president said. By Elliot Spagat, Anita Snow, Associated Press Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘There will be no impunity for the malicious aggression against the municipal president and local government officials,’ governor says I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Twenty people were killed in a shooting in the southern Mexico small town of San Miguel Totolapan The group of shooters wearing ski masks drove two SUVs to the municipal hall and a smaller house in the town Ten victims have been identified by the authorities, with most of them serving in local government, according to the newspaper Reforma requested a quick investigation by the state office of the attorney general “There will be no impunity for the malicious aggression against the municipal president and local government officials,” she tweeted The deputy minister for public security, Ricardo Mejia, said that the shooting was carried out by two criminal organisations called the Familia Michoacan and Los Tequileros, according to Bloomberg Los Tequileros previously controlled heroin poppy sales in the area Gang violence spiked in August with cartel members setting vehicles aflame in the state of Colima That came after the arrest of a cartel leader members of the Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartel set fire to 25 convenience stores belonging to the chain Oxxo Another local government worker was fatally shot outside a pharmacy in Cuernavaca, a city south of Mexico City in the central parts of the country, according to the newspaper El Universal. The town of San Miguel Totolapan is located southwest of Mexico City and about 230 miles from the coastal tourist town of Acapulco The Guerrero Public Safety Department said in a statement that agents from the Mexican Defence Department worked with police on the state and local levels to take the injured to area hospitals, Bloomberg noted. Police said the attack took place at 2pm local time on Wednesday when the gunmen laid siege to the San Miguel Totolapan town hall, the BBC reported. Photos show the building covered in bullet holes called his assassination “cowardly” and demanded that justice be carried out Others killed in the attack included police officers and council staff Juan Mendoza, the former mayor and father of the current local leader, Conrado Mendoza, was murdered at his home ahead of the massacre at the town hall, according to the BBC A highway in the state was blocked for a period of time to stop security forces from entering the city The town is located in the region of Tierra Caliente in western Mexico where cartels exert control through violence A number of criminal groups are fighting for control of the area and its highly sought-after drug routes, following the Pacific corridor, the BBC noted which is also a place notable for its heroin production While the killing of local government officials isn’t a rare occurrence the motive for the mass shooting remains unclear At least 36 mayors, previous mayors, and candidates for mayoral offices were murdered in 2018. In the last few years, those numbers have decreased to single figures, but local officeholders remain targets as the drug cartels want to be the sole source of authority in any area, the BBC reported. Just before the shooting, apparent members of Los Tequileros shared a video on social media saying that they had come to the region where they had been in a battle with another drug gang. The group’s presence led to widespread devastation in the area between 2015 and 2017 until the killing of its leader Raybel Jacobo de Almonte. He was called El Tequilero, the Tequila Drinker, from which the gang’s name was derived. They were infamous for threatening mayors in the region. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Reporting by Lenin Ocampo in San Miguel Totolapan; Uriel Sanchez in Acapulco; Juby Babu in Bengaluru; John Stonestreet in London; and Raul Cortes Sarah Morland and Stefanie Eschenbacher in Mexico City; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved The mayor of a municipality in the notoriously violent Tierra Caliente region of Guerrero was among 20 people killed in an armed attack on Wednesday Guerrero authorities reported Wednesday that 18 people were killed and two others were wounded in an attack on the San Miguel Totolapan city hall but federal security official Ricardo Mejía said Thursday that the death toll had risen to 20 Gunmen affiliated with Los Tequileros – a crime gang allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel – are believed to be responsible for the massacre in the small town, part of a region where violence is common and narcos exert significant influence over local politics San Miguel Totolapan Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda his father Juan Mendoza Acosta – a former mayor of the same municipality The Democratic Revolution Party mayor’s grandfather and brother-in-law – a United States citizen identified as Gustavo Salazar – were also killed Some reports said that Mendoza Acosta – who allegedly colluded with Los Tequileros while mayor – was killed at his home in San Miguel Totolapan rather than at the local government headquarters Mendoza Almeda was presiding over a meeting when the assailants stormed the town hall and opened fire police and the National Guard attended the scene of the crime but no arrests were reported Guerrero Attorney General Sandra Luz Valdovinos said in a television interview that their arrival was delayed by blockades allegedly set up by the crime group that committed the attack Her office said that 10 victims had been identified and released a list of their names told President López Obrador’s regular news conference that the massacre occurred “in the context of a criminal dispute” between Los Tequileros and La Familia Michoacana drug cartel “A group known as Los Tequileros ruled in that region during a period of time; it was a group mainly dedicated to the trafficking of opium poppies,” he said Mendoza Alameda is the 18th mayor to be murdered since López Obrador took office in December 2018 Morelos state Deputy Gabriela Marín was also shot and killed on Wednesday who was gunned down in state capital Cuernavaca is the eighth state lawmaker to be killed since the president was sworn in almost four years ago With reports from Aristegui Noticias, AFP and Político ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Dispute between rival gangs lead to fatal shooting of lawmaker and his father in southern state of Guerrero A conflict between two rival gangs in the violence-plagued southwestern state of Guerrero has left 20 dead, including a local mayor, and two more wounded. The Guerrero state security council said gunmen burst into the town hall in the village of San Miguel Totolapan on Wednesday and opened fire on a meeting the mayor was holding with other officials. Among those shot dead were the mayor, Conrado Mendoza, his father and former mayor, Juan Mendoza, and other local officials, according to a statement from state authorities. Read moreA minor was also among those killed Photos and videos shared on social media show the town hall riddled with bullet holes “It happened in the context of a dispute between criminal gangs,” deputy security minister Ricardo Mejía said adding that organised crime groups La Familia Michoacana and Los Tequileros appeared to be involved Speaking at a news conference alongside President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Mejía said an investigation to find the perpetrators was underway Investigators were also working to verify a video in which Los Tequileros appeared to claim responsibility for the killings San Miguel Totolapan is a geographically large but sparsely populated mountainous township in a region known as Tierra Caliente, one of Mexico’s most conflict-ridden areas In 2016, Totolapan locals got so fed up with abductions by the Tequileros that they kidnapped the gang leader’s mother to leverage the release of other hostages. The governor of Guerrero, Evelyn Salgado, said in a news conference the incident was “a clear reflection of the social decomposition we’ve inherited”, and promised to crack down on crime in the state. State prosecutor Sandra Luz Valdovinos said she was sending 90 policemen to the surrounding area. There were so many victims that a backhoe was brought into the town’s cemetery to scoop out graves as residents began burying their dead on Thursday. By midday, two bodies had already been buried and 10 more empty pits stood waiting. A procession of about 100 residents singing hymns walked solemnly behind a truck carrying the coffin of one man killed in the shooting. Once they neared the cemetery, several men hoisted the coffin out of the truck and walked with it the waiting grave. Dozens of soldiers were posted at the entrance to the town. Read moreThere have been record levels of homicides during López Obrador’s presidency with about 750 people killed in the state of Guerrero alone through August He has been criticised by civil society for handing increased responsibility for domestic security to the armed forces particularly through the creation of a National Guard that has been stacked with military personnel Originally intended to be a civilian institution the president has moved to place the National Guard under control of the army The move received criticism from domestic adversaries and the United Nations over the militarisation of public security and sparked protests across the country After seeing many of their loved ones kidnapped by a ruthless drug cartel a small town in Mexico’s Guerrero state decided it was time to fight fire with fire so they kidnapped the drug boss’ mother Totolapan has been under the control of a gang known as “Los Tequillero” better known as “El Tequillero” Things had gotten considerably worse for the locals in recent months as the Tequilleros had become involved in a turf war with other gangs and started abducting people whom they suspected were supporting their rivals Sick of living under the constant terror of having their loved ones taken from them a few dozen masked men appeared in the streets of Totolapan waving rifles and shotguns and calling for action against El Tequillero They identified themselves as a “self-defense” force as Mexican vigilantes usually call themselves and demanded the release of kidnapping victims taken by the gang “We urgently demand the release of the kidnap victims,” one of the masked men said during a recorded statement “We are a legitimate self-defense force of the people.” And to make sure that their demands are taken seriously by the Tequilleros they let them know that they have a valuable bargaining chip I propose an exchange: I’ll give you your mother if you give me my husband but I want him safe and sound,” said the wife of Isauro de la Paz Duque a local construction engineer that was kidnapped by the gang last week who is shown sitting on the floor of an empty room with just a ventilation fan beside her is just one of two dozen people kidnapped by the vigilantes as suspected members of the drug gang The Guerrero state Government recently sent 220 soldiers and policemen to Totolapan to diffuse the situation Reports state that several hostages have been released by the self-defense force but El Tequillero’s mother remains in their custody Authorities said that they understand the locals’ frustration but they are going about the situation the wrong way nor are they police,” Governor Hector Astudillo has said “They are armed groups that unfortunately carry out acts … that generate more violence and confrontation However, the kidnapping of El Tequillero’s mother seems to have had the desired effect, as Mexican news website Debate yesterday reported that the boss agreed to release engineer Isauro de la Paz Duque in exchange for his mother The swap was overseen by the state Government negotiations team the military and police forces will remain in Totolapan to prevent any retaliations by the Tequilleros Located at the foot of the mountains that produce much of Mexico’s opium poppy crops the are around Totolapan is notorious for drug trafficking The town itself is reportedly so dangerous that many of its outlying hamlets have been abandoned by their frightened residents.