MEXICO CITY — Gunmen on Friday killed a navy rear admiral in Mexico, one of many highest-ranking officers slain within the nation in a decade.
Mexico’s navy stated {that a} rear admiral — which is slightly below full admiral, the navy’s highest rank — had been shot to loss of life within the Pacific coast port metropolis of Manzanillo. Native media gave his title as Fernando Guerrero Alcántar, however a navy spokesman wouldn’t verify that, or whether or not he was in uniform on the time.
The navy stated in an announcement that he was driving in his personal non-public car when the assault occurred, so it was unclear if the gunmen knew who he was.
He could be one of many highest-ranking army officers killed in Mexico since 2013.
That 12 months, gunmen within the neighboring state of Michoacan ambushed and killed Vice Adm. Carlos Miguel Salazar, the highest navy commander within the neighboring Pacific coastal state of Jalisco. Members of the Knights Templar drug cartel have been blamed for that killing.
Vice admiral is a barely greater rank than rear admiral.
Assaults by Mexican cartels on high-ranking officers have occurred, however are comparatively uncommon.
Nonetheless, the Mexican authorities has given extra law-enforcement duty to the navy, military and the militarized Nationwide Guard lately, and so they now signify the front-line forces in opposition to the nation’s drug cartels.
Manzanillo, as a result of it’s a Pacific coast port with direct shipments from China and different locations in Asia, is extremely prized by drug cartels searching for to smuggle in precursor chemical substances to supply the lethal opioid fentanyl.
