On January 25, 2026, at least 11 individuals lost their lives, and another dozen were wounded when gunmen unleashed a barrage of bullets on a group of locals gathered at a football pitch in Salamanca, central Mexico. Eyewitnesses reported that armed assailants arrived in multiple vehicles and opened fire indiscriminately.
Many of the victims were families who had lingered after a local match, with reports indicating that at least one woman and one child were among those killed.
Authorities are still investigating the motives behind this shocking incident, which occurs in a state that recorded the highest murder rate in Mexico the previous year. Salamanca is situated in Guanajuato, an area notoriously plagued by gang violence.
Residents heard around 100 gunshots ring out during the attack at Cabañas pitch in the Loma de Flores neighbourhood. Security forces have been deployed to investigate, following this tragedy that follows a series of violent incidents in the city, which led to the deaths of five men and an abduction the day prior.
The escalation of violence in Guanajuato is attributed to various gangs involved in illegal activities, including oil theft and drug trafficking. Salamanca, home to a significant Pemex refinery, has seen persistent violence from organized crime factions.
Analysts suggest that conflicts between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) may be driving these brutal attacks.
Both CJNG and CSRL operate beyond Mexican borders, affecting areas in the United States through drug smuggling and violence. Consequently, the U.S. State Department designated the CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and has recently placed sanctions on the CSRL.
In efforts to combat these gangs, U.S. President Donald Trump has prioritized crackdowns on drug trafficking, and recently, Mexico's government has cooperated by extraditing high-profile cartel members to the U.S., signaling a commitment to tackling the pervasive issue of organized crime.
