U.S. government employees in Tijuana, Mexico, and other locations in Baja California were told to shelter in place amid rising violence and property crime, the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana tweeted Friday.
1/2 The U.S. Consulate General Tijuana is aware of reports of multiple vehicle fires, roadblocks, and heavy police activity in Tijuana, Mexicali, Rosarito, Ensenada, and Tecate. U.S. government employees have been instructed to shelter in place until further notice. pic.twitter.com/oghBX1P7qX
— U.S. Consulate Tijuana (@ConsuladoUSATJ) August 13, 2022
There have been 19 reports of vehicles set ablaze in five cities in northern Mexico: Mexicali, Ensenada, Tecate, Rosarito, and Tijuana, according to NBC San Diego.
Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda, governor of Baja California, spoke out against the crimes breaking out in northern Mexico.
“We will apply all the strength of our government so that there is peace and we find those responsible for these attacks,” the governor tweeted.
Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero Ramirez blamed the violence on the drug cartels and issued a plea for the rivalry to cease, according to NPR.
“Today we are saying to the organized crime groups that are committing these crimes, that Tijuana is going to remain open and take care of its citizens,” Cabellero stated in a video, the outlet reports, “and we also ask them to settle their debts with those who didn’t pay what they owe, not with families and hard-working citizens.”
The Tijuana Mayor has 2,000 police officers and 3,000 National Guard troops waiting on standby, according to NBC San Diego.
Violence has risen in other areas of Mexico over the week including Cuquío and Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco; Irapuato, Celaya, and León, Guanajuato; Juárez, Chihuahua; Tijuana, Tecate, Ensenada, Rosarito, Mexicali, Baja California. (RELATED: ‘Monsters’: Hundreds of Armored Drug Cartel Vehicles Siezed Near US-Mexico Border)
Mexican cities/states that have experienced large scale cartel attacks this week:
Cuquío and Ixtlahuacán del Río — Jalisco
Irapuato, Celaya, and León — Guanajuato
Juárez — Chihuahua
Tijuana, Tecate, Ensenada, Rosarito, Mexicali — Baja CaliforniaH/T: (https://t.co/y4N5g7bXY4)
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 13, 2022
Baja Beach Fest, a three-day music festival, is currently taking place at Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico this weekend. The festival is working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the crowd, according to Axios.