A seaside resort in La Palma, in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, was attacked by gunmen on Saturday, killing seven people, including a child, amid rising criminal violence in the country. The attackers destroyed a store at the resort and took away security cameras before fleeing. According to the owner of the resort, those responsible for the assault were “armed subjects” who arrived “to perpetrate the attack.” Most of the attacks in Guanajuato have been registered during the night in bars, nightclubs, and stores, attributed to the settling of scores between rival groups. Assaults have also been reported at drug rehabilitation centers.
Since the Mexican government launched a military anti-drug strategy in December 2006, more than 350,000 murders have been recorded, most attributed to organized crime. Guanajuato, a thriving industrial state, has become one of Mexico’s most violent states due to the dispute between the Santa Rosa de Lima and Jalisco Cartel (New Generation) groups, dedicated to fuel theft and drug trafficking.
This is the first known attack on a family recreation site in Mexico, although some shootings have been reported on Pacific and Caribbean beaches in Mexico. The La Palma beach resort, an enclosed park with gardens and swimming pools, was surrounded by military and state police, while an operation was deployed in search of those responsible.
The attack occurred on the last day of the spring vacation. A man who was at the spa recorded a video showing the clouds of smoke, apparently from the gunshots, and the victims collapsing on the floor, some on the chairs where they were sitting.