Kidnapping of Mexican Soldiers Linked to Cartel Activity

In a shocking incident, twenty Mexican soldiers were kidnapped by over 20 cartel gunmen after they attempted to stop a tractor-trailer carrying stolen fuel in Hidalgo state. This alarming act, which occurred in broad daylight, resulted in the death of one service member and left another injured.

The kidnapping unfolded as two members of the Mexican National Guard tried to intercept the trailer filled with illicit fuel. Reports indicate that one guard was killed and another, who required medical attention, was later released.

The event took place in Huychapan, a city in Hidalgo state. According to a report from a local news source, two National Guard agents, Eric Antuan Portilla Moran and Gustavo Ramirez Roque, had managed to halt the trailer before they were attacked.

Not long after, around 25 armed individuals in multiple SUVs confronted and captured the two agents, while leaving behind two police vehicles at the scene. In response, Mexican authorities initiated a significant search for the abducted officers.

About an hour later, one officer was discovered in a state of shock, while the body of Ramirez Roque was found hours afterward. Authorities struggled to locate the assailants involved in the shooting.

This episode highlights the escalating cartel activity in central Mexico, particularly regarding fuel theft. Criminal organizations have increasingly infiltrated the pipelines of PEMEX, Mexico’s national oil company, to sell oil and fuel on the black market. Previous incidents have shown links between fuel theft networks and influential figures within Mexico’s political and military circles.