While such incidents and collateral damage are really nothing new in Mexico, the wounding of a foreigner illustrates the risks to tourists visiting the country as the security situation there continues to deteriorate.

The Taxco incident also illustrates the widespread nature of organized crime-related violence in Mexico. The town — which is a popular tourist destination for foreigners and Mexicans alike — has been relatively peaceful over the past few years in comparison to notorious places like Sinaloa and Tamaulipas states and the cities of Tijuana and Juarez. But like most towns in Mexico, Taxco has been no stranger to organized criminal activity. On several occasions, the town has experienced firefights, gun attacks on police officers, abductions, and more recently, the assassination of a newspaper editor. Though the latest incident appears to be the first time over the last few years that violence directly has impacted a foreign tourist, similar outcomes are all but inevitable elsewhere in the country as the violence continues and tourists continue to visit.

The Curious Case of Nacho’s Nephew

Mexican authorities scored a success this past week with the capture of Vicente “Vicentillo” Zambada Niebla, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, a high-ranking leader of the Sinaloa cartel and a close associate of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera. Officials said the arrest occurred in a high-end district of Mexico City as Mexican military and federal police forces responded to complaints of armed men in the area. Five of Vicente’s bodyguards in possession of several handguns and assault rifles also were arrested. Mexican authorities described Vicente as playing a leadership role in his father’s organization.

This arrest is the latest in a series of blows to the Zambada organization, which included the October 2008 capture of Jesus “El Rey” Zambada in a Mexico City mansion, the disruption of a Zambada-linked ring of corrupt federal police officials, and the March 2009 capture of three of the organization’s operatives in Sinaloa state. The continued success against the organization is one bright spot for the government, and further arrests may lie ahead.

The Mexican government also took an apparent step in the other direction this past week when it released Jose Angel “El Changel” Carrasco Coronel, the nephew of Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal, another high-ranking Sinaloa cartel leader. Carrasco was arrested March 14 in Tlajomulco de Zuniga, Jalisco state, following a firefight with police and Mexican military forces. The engagement reportedly began after authorities responded to reports of gunfire at a casino where several drug traffickers had been present. After the police and soldiers had established a perimeter, they began to move in on the casino. As they approached, a gun battle broke out during which at least one suspect was killed. When the shooting was over, authorities recovered five handguns and detained seven suspects, including Carrasco, who initially used an alias. Two days later, authorities confirmed his true identity.

Just a week after his capture, though, the Jalisco state attorney general reportedly released all suspects after it failed to find any evidence that they had fired the weapons or were involved in other criminal activity. According to one report, a Jalisco state prosecutor had stated that the suspects had been turned over to federal authorities (as is almost always the case in organized crime investigations), but in reality the suspects had remained in Jalisco state custody until they were released.

There are many unknowns associated with this case. It is unclear, for example, whether this indicates recent attempts to reform the country’s legal system have raised the state’s burden of proof for holding suspects, or whether this is yet another case of a captured cartel member threatening or bribing his way to freedom. Given the frequency with which detained cartel suspects are ordered held for 40 days while authorities continue to investigate them, the latter seems more likely. Even if Carrasco has no connections with his uncle’s drug-trafficking organization, it is curious that the federal government did not take more advantage of his capture to find clues about the organization or other family members who might be involved. In either case, it is highly unusual that authorities released these suspects within one week of their apparently exchanging gunfire with police and soldiers.

March 16

·Panamanian authorities arrested two Mexican nationals in possession of more than 100 pounds of cocaine at Tocumen International Airport. The men had arrived on a flight from Cali, Colombia, and were attempting to board a flight to Cancun, Mexico.

March 18

·U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico between April 16-17, a Calderon spokesperson stated.

·A group of armed men stopped a funeral procession in Durango, Durango state, setting fire to the hearse carrying the body of a man who died in a firefight two days before.

·Mexican military officials in Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, confirmed the seizure of some 5,000 rounds of ammunition, seven grenades, eight rifles, five handguns, and one LAW rocket.

March 19

·Three unidentified bodies were found along a highway near Morelia, Michoacan state. The victims had been shot several times, and were found with a note directed at the Zetas.

·Authorities in Acapulco, Guerrero state, reported the discovery of four unidentified bodies in shallow graves. The bodies showed signs of torture and had been bound at the wrists.

·The bodies of three unidentified men who had been beheaded and dismembered were found in plastic bags in Uruapan, Michoacan state.

·A police officer in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan state, died when several armed men shot him multiple times as he left his house for work.

March 20

·Military forces in Saltillo, Coahuila state, captured Zeta commander Sigifredo “El Canicon” Najera Talamantes. Officials said he is believed to be closely linked to Zeta leader Heriberto “El Lazca” Lazcano Lazcano, and that he had been hiding in Saltillo while traveling to nearby Monterrey for criminal activities.

March 21

·Authorities near Mocorito, Sinaloa state, found the bodies of seven men dressed in military uniforms.

·At least four people were shot dead in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, in separate incidents believed to be related to organized crime.