Mexico City (AP) — Officials in the avocado growing area of western Mexico said five drug cartel suspects were killed in a massive gun battle between gangs on Thursday.
The shooter then killed the mayor of a nearby town, which was the scene of a protracted turf battle between Viagra and the Harrisco cartel, also known as the United cartel.
Police in Michoacan said they had found five bodies and detained 32 suspects in the town of Nuevo Parangaricutillo.
A video posted on social media showed what looks like a homemade armored truck with a machine gun fired from the turret of Parangalictiro.
Dozens of troops and state police officers were dispatched to predominantly Talasco indigenous towns to quell the violence.
The town has long been a scene of controversy between Viagra gangs, self-defense patrols and rival gangs. Criminal groups have long forced protection from avocado growers.
The town was built after the eruption of Parícutin volcano in the 1940s partially filled the old village of Parangalictiro.
In the nearby town of Aguilya, a shooter killed Mayor Cesar Arturo Valencia. Aguilya was the epicenter of the battle between Viagra and the Jalisco cartel until a month before the government sent troops to the town to expel Jalisco’s militants.
Michoacan Governor Alfredo Ramirez Bedra said on Twitter that he “energically condemns the murder” and promised to punish the murderer.
Some townspeople opposed the existence of the army, saying that soldiers and state police supported the Viagras gang.
The killing of the mayor, who was shot dead by truck, is likely to hurt the military’s allegations that the area was restored to normal.