In a brutal attack early Sunday, December 17, 2023, gunmen targeted a Christmas party of approximately 50 people in Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico, resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals and wounding at least 11 others. This incident is part of a disturbing trend of escalating violence in the region during the holiday season.

The incident occurred at the Ex Hacienda San José del Carmen event hall during a posada, a festive Christmas event. The attackers indiscriminately opened fire on the attendees, primarily in the age range of 17 to 35.

Eyewitnesses from Salvatierra reported the attackers accessed the venue through a side entrance, shooting at the people gathered in the central courtyard and setting fires before escaping. Two of the wounded were reportedly in critical condition.

The state of Guanajuato, a hub for the automotive and aeronautics industries, has seen a surge in homicides, often attributed to conflicts among prominent drug trafficking groups, including those linked to the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels.

Following these attacks, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador requested the resignation of the Guanajuato state prosecutor, citing the widespread violence.

In a separate incident, an assault at a bar in Tulum, Quintana Roo, in a popular resort area, left three people dead and four injured. The attack is believed to be linked to local drug turf wars. As a result, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for areas in the Mexican Caribbean, advising travelers to exercise increased caution.

Salvatierra’s Mayor, German Cervantes, expressed strong disapproval of the violence and assured full cooperation with the prosecutor’s office in their investigation. The investigation is examining the possible involvement of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, inferred from the association of a guest at the party with an opposing cartel faction.