Alleged Los Mezcales leaders killed in Colima
Original reporting: Publimetro México
What happened
Publimetro reported two deaths in a clash with Navy personnel and state police, while noting that identities and circumstances lacked official confirmation.
Reporting and context
Two men identified in news reports as alleged Los Mezcales leaders “El Español” and “Santos” were killed in a clash with Navy personnel and Colima state police on the road between Coquimatlán and Villa de Álvarez, according to Publimetro México.
The outlet reported that the men opened fire on security personnel taking part in an operation in the area, and that officers returned fire. That account of how the confrontation began remained subject to confirmation: the article said initial local reports indicated authorities had not officially confirmed the men’s identities or all the circumstances.
News reports cited by Publimetro identified the dead as Sergio “N”, 26, known as “El Español”, and Francisco “N”, 27, known as “Santos”. They were described as alleged leaders or operatives of Los Mezcales, a group the report linked to the Cártel Independiente de Colima and described as its armed wing.
The two men had been accused of ordering recent killings in Colima, the outlet reported, without specifying how many homicides were attributed to them. Their full identities were also unavailable in the account.
The confrontation was reported on Sunday, October 18. The article did not establish its exact date.
Original report: Publimetro México