Ambush in Mexico's Guerrero State Results in Death of 13 Law Enforcement Officers, National Guard Deployed in Response

Monday's ambush is the latest in Mexico's escalating cartel violence; incidents which left at least 24 dead across the country, and thousands of law enforcement officers killed this year, prompting questions over President Obrador's "hugs not bullets" strategy.

An ambush in Mexico's Guerrero state killed at least thirteen law enforcement officers, including a local security secretary and a police chief. The attack took place in Coyuca de Benítez under unidentified gunmen.
Guerrero, home to lucrative drug routes and opium poppy production, is known for violence related to drug-trafficking and is seeing an escalation in cartel-related incidents, facing violent conflicts between rival drug traffickers and security forces.
Following the ambush, the Mexican government sent 300 National Guard troopers to reinforce the security in the region. Despite President Obrador's 'hugs not bullets' strategy, authorities are grappling with an uptick in violence and a death toll of hundreds of police officers this year.
Three separate armed attacks took place on the same day across Mexico, resulting in a total of 24 deaths. This includes the thirteen law enforcement officers in Guerrero and others in the states of Michoacán and Puebla. The country is combating increasing cartel-related bloodshed.
Various figures show escalating violence against Mexican law enforcement officers. According to Common Cause, 341 police officers have been killed in Mexico so far in 2023, compared to 403 in the previous year.