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| Dr. Mireles with Verdía (Right) |
Aquila, Michoacán. December 16, 2014— Today at around 15:00 hours, an unknown group ambushed the commander of the Community Police of Ostula, Semeí Verdía, in events that occurred on the coastal road of Michoacán, at the height of the entrance to the village of Xayakalan. Sources say that the hitmen were sent in by the former plaza boss of the Templarios of that area.
According to police sources, the commander Semeí was traveling towards Ostula but before reaching Xayakalan, he changed vehicles, which saved his life. As the truck he would normally be traveling in, which at that moment was carrying a family, was shot at, leaving five wounded and Semeí unharmed.
Among those hurt were Salvador Mejía Valdovinos, 28; José Mora Mendoza, 26; Félix Mejía Valdovinos, 24; and Miguel Mejía Mora, 5, son of José Mora, in charge of the order of Xayacalan.
After the attack, an operational force with the Fuerza Rural of the municipalities of Aquila and Coahuayana was deployed, reporting that at 18:30, they managed to arrest one of the assailants. The assailant is reported to be Jonathan Aguilar Juan, “La Changa”, who confessed that he along with four other assailants acted under the orders of Lico González, and that they had the order to kill the Community Police commander. The assailant also confessed that the group was commanded by Luis N, “El Caracol”, one of the participants in the assassination of José Trinidad de la Cruz, “Don Trino”, in November 2011.
A few days ago, the general assembly of the community of Ostula affirmed its support for the Community Police and determined to expulse several families who are accused of being involved in organized crime.
In the same assembly, it was decided to continue the struggle “for the live presentation of the missing villagers (six) and the punishment of the masterminds and perpetrators of the killings of the villagers of Santa María Ostula from July 2008 (32), where the principal perpetrator of these acts, as is clear from the evidence provided to the assembly is Mario Álvarez, “El Chacal”, who is identified as a PRI boss in the region.
The wounded family was taken to the Hospital of Coahauyana. Other reports say that the Community Police stated that the family was taken to a hospital in Tecomán, Colima, and their health status is reported as serious.