Mexico Gang Hijackings Rattle Home of Busiest US Border Crossing

Milenio TV reported that armed gangs hijacked and burned at least a dozen vehicles in Tijuana on Friday evening, blocking major roads.

No one was injured in the hijackings that snarled traffic across the city and temporarily blocked access to one of the world's busiest border crossings.

At least 17 people were arrested after simultaneous hijackings in four other cities. The busiest US border crossing is located in the city of Tijuana.

Attacks against businesses and civilians further along the border in Ciudad Juarez and the central state of Guanajuato have disrupted life. The security strategy of the president is being challenged by the wave of violence.

This was the first time that so-called "narco blockades" had been used in the major border city of Tijuana.

She said that new foreign investment could be in jeopardy due to the ongoing battle between Jalisco and the Sinaloa Cartel. In the past, gang violence has taken place in Tijuana, but not at the general population.

‘Protect Us’

The companies are being impacted. Felbab- Brown said that foreign companies are being affected. People are saying that the government needs to protect them.

Lopez Obrador's government has come under criticism for shying away from directly challenging criminal gangs, such as the release of El Chapo's son in 2019.

Thousands of members of the National Guard have been deployed across the country to give the public a sense of security. The homicide rate is still near record highs despite the fall.

In a video message, the mayor said the city wouldn't shut down and blamed the gangs for the hijackings.

She asked that the people who owe you pay up, not the people who work.

The gangs torched 25 Oxxo convenience stores on Tuesday and several vehicles were burnt on Friday night.

In Ciudad Juarez, flights were canceled on Friday, along with classes and a soccer match, Milenio reported.

Drug gangs target civilians in Mexico.

Gang members opened fire at a strip mall and gas stations, killing nine people. A child, four radio station employees and a convenience store are dead.

The attacks were carried out by a local gang after a fight in a Ciudad Juarez prison left two people dead. According to Felbab-Brown, smaller gangs are mimicking the tactics of the Jalisco Cartel.