MEXICO CITY — A tragic incident involving the National Guard in Mexico has resulted in the death of two Colombians and injuries to four more individuals, as reported by the Defense Department, which claims this occurred during a confrontation near the U.S. border. The events transpired on Saturday along a dirt road close to Tecate, east of Otay Mesa, an area frequently traversed by smugglers of migrants.
It remains uncertain whether the Colombians involved were migrants. However, another Colombian who was unharmed in the incident was subsequently handed over to immigration authorities, suggesting that they likely were. The Defense Department, which oversees the National Guard, has not provided any commentary regarding the status of these individuals.
If confirmed as migrants, this shooting would mark the second occurrence within just over a month where military personnel have fired upon and killed migrants in Mexico. On October 1, coinciding with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s assumption of office, soldiers opened fire on a vehicle in the southern state of Chiapas, resulting in the deaths of six migrants, including an 11-year-old Egyptian girl and her 18-year-old sister, alongside a 17-year-old boy from El Salvador, and others from Peru and Honduras.
According to the Defense Department, a National Guard patrol was fired upon after identifying two trucks in the Tecate area. While one truck managed to flee the scene, the National Guard returned fire on the second, leading to the fatal shooting of two Colombians and injuring four others. No immediate updates on the condition of the injured were provided, and there were no reported injuries among the National Guard personnel involved.
At the scene, one Colombian and one Mexican man were found unharmed and subsequently detained. The authorities also reported the recovery of a pistol and ammunition typically associated with assault rifles. Historically, Colombians have been known to serve as enforcers for Mexican drug cartels, which also play a significant role in the smuggling of migrants. However, the survivor’s transfer to immigration officials, coupled with the contact made by the Foreign Relations Department with the Colombian consulate, indicates that they may indeed be migrants.
It is not uncommon for cartel members to either escort or abduct migrants as they navigate their journey towards the U.S. border. As a result of the shooting incident, the three National Guard officers who discharged their weapons have been temporarily reassigned.
The previous administration under Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who stepped down on September 30, conferred significant authority to the military in everyday life and law enforcement roles, having established the militarized National Guard that has since been integrated under army command. Critics of this approach argue that military personnel are generally unprepared for civilian law enforcement responsibilities. Concerns are also raised regarding the disproportionate death tolls in such incidents, where fatalities and injuries tend to be one-sided, prompting skepticism among activists about the legitimacy of the confrontations.
For instance, the soldiers involved in the Chiapas shooting, currently facing potential charges, stated they had heard “detonations” prior to firing. However, no evidence of weapons was discovered at the scene, further fueling doubts regarding the claims made by military personnel.