Calay News
On Monday, the local prosecutor’s office reported that a man allegedly linked to drug trafficking was killed in Saturday’s gun attack during an amateur rally in Ensenada, Mexico, which also left nine other people dead. The victim, identified as Alonso Arambula Pia, known as “el Sonrics,” “el Loncho” or “el Trébol,” was participating as a driver in the race. According to the Baja California prosecutor, Ricardo Iván Carpio, the direct target of the attack was the vehicle marked with the number 15 and with a cloverleaf print. In the same vehicle was a municipal official named José Eduardo Orozco Pia, who also lost his life.
The attack occurred when the participants made a stop on the side of the road and hooded men got out of a pickup truck to open fire on them. The prosecutor explained that Arambula Pia allegedly had links to the Sinaloa cartel, led by the sons of Joaqun “El Chapo” Guzmán, currently imprisoned in the United States, and that this attack was the result of disputes with the Tijuana cartel.
The vehicle used for the shooting had a theft report in the United States last April, according to Carpio. While some of the other victims were also allegedly involved in illicit activities, especially drug trafficking, it was not specified whether they died in the incident or if they were among the ten wounded or were involved as pilots.
Baja California is known for its desert terrain and hosts off-road vehicle races that attract drivers from all over the world. Ensenada, located approximately 100 kilometers from the border with California, USA, is a popular tourist destination, especially for Americans.
In recent months, there has been an increase in attacks on public recreational venues in Mexico, such as the shooting during a soccer match organized by families in a residential park in the state of Hidalgo, which left six people dead on May 15. On April 15, gunmen stormed a water park full of families and killed seven people, including a minor.
Mexico has been mired in a spiral of violence that has left nearly 400,000 dead and tens of thousands missing since 2006, when the government launched a controversial anti-drug offensive with US support and the participation of the Mexican armed forces.
