MEXICO CITY (AP) — An explosion Saturday outside a local police station in the western Mexican state of Michoacán killed at least two people and injured seven others, local and federal security officials said.
The explosion comes as the federal government ramps up security in the state, deploying additional troops following two recent high-profile assassinations.
Coahuaana community police commander Hector Zepeda said on Saturday that the explosion killed two police officers and civilians were among the injured. He said some victims were found far from the site of the blast, which also damaged nearby buildings.
“Through this (federal) operation, a lot of Marines came,” Zepeda said. “We stopped patrolling as the operation continues.”
Community police patrolling various rural communities are remnants of the civilian vigilante forces that took up arms to protect communities from drug cartels more than a decade ago and were later regularized by the state.
Coahuaana is located near the Pacific coast in western Michoacán, bordering Colima state, the stronghold of the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel.
Saturday’s explosion occurred as Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedola was in Mexico City with President Claudia Sheinbaum to celebrate the anniversary of the Morena party’s takeover of power seven years ago.
Ramirez Bedola and Scheinbaum have been criticized for the deteriorating security situation in Michoacan state, where numerous drug cartels are vying for control and terrorizing locals.
At least three of the six drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration — Jalisco New Generation, United Cartel and Nuevo Michoacan Families — operate here, along with a host of homegrown armed separatist groups, some of which are backed by the Sinaloa cartel.
Explosives dropped from drones, buried as landmines or planted along roads are increasingly used by criminal gangs operating in the state. Last year, about 3,000 explosive devices were seized in the state, compared with 160 in 2022. According to national security agencies, more than 2,000 explosive devices have been seized so far this year.
Michoacán is a major importer of chemical precursors for synthetic pharmaceuticals. In the past two months, Mexican authorities have dismantled 17 drug laboratories. The state also produces avocados for export to the United States and is a major producer of limes, industries that have been extorted by cartels for years.
The state government said in a statement on Saturday that an “explosive device” was responsible, but gave no details. Images circulating online show a completely burned-out vehicle.
Last month, Scheinbaum sent 2,000 troops to Michoacán — in addition to 4,300 permanent troops and 4,000 troops from neighboring states — following the killings of an outspoken lime grower representative and a popular mayor who stood up for his actions.
