Proceso (12-6-2013) by Ezequiel Flores Contreras,Translated for Borderland Beat by un vato
CHILPANCINGO, Gro. (proceso.com.mx).- Four officials with the Arcelia, Guerrero, ayuntamiento (county government), among them the Director of Municipal Traffic (police), Mario Uriostegui Perez, "La Mona", and the deputy director of the same agency, Josue Gavinez Ramirez, died in an alleged confrontation between soldiers and armed civilians in the vicinity of the town of Palos Altos, located on the border of the Tierra Caliente (Hot Country) of Guerrero and the southern part of the State of Mexico.
The Army identifies "La Mona" as the father in law of Johny Olascoaga Hurtado, "El Mojarro", one of the main leaders of the criminal organization "La Familia", which operates with impunity under the protection of the civilian and military authorities in the Northern and the Tierra Caliente regions of the state.
In response, at least a hundred residents of Palo Alto are using heavy vehicles to block the highway that connects Guerrero with the southern part of the State of Mexico, at the location known as El Ushe, where they have detained soldiers, ministerial police officers and dozens of drivers.
The blockade extended to the entrances and exits of the county seat of Arcelia, located on the Iguala-Ciudad Altamirano federal highway.
The protesters are demanding clarification of the incident and they accuse the military personnel with the 102 Infantry Battalion, based in San Miguel Ixtapan, Tejupilco Municipality, State of Mexico, of executing the father in law of "El Mojarro" and his three fellow passengers.
According to official reports, around 5:30 a.m. this Friday, a convoy from the 102 Infantry Battalion intercepted four men who were traveling in a white Nissan pickup near a dirt road located 500 meters from the highway that connects the town of Palos Altos, Arcelia County, with the Teloloapan-Ciudad Altamirano federal higheay.
Without any explanation being given at this time, the soldiers opened fire against the vehicle and shot the passengers.
The men killed by the Army were identified as Arcelia County government workers, among them the Director of Traffic (police), Mario Uriostegui, 45 years old, who was carrying a shotgun, as well as the deputy director of that same agency, Josue Gavinez Ramirez, 29 years old, who was driving the pickup, and two employees in the cultural area, Marcelo Martinez Alarcon and Juan Martinez Estada.
At this time, the PRI mayor of Arcelia, Taurino Vazquez Vazquez, has not taken a position with respect to these events.