A group of armed men set fire to a passenger bus on the morning of Tuesday, July 22, on the Salamanca–Cárdenas highway, generating fear among bus users and forcing a partial closure of the road.
According to initial reports, the attackers intercepted the moving bus, forced their way inside, and forced the driver and passengers to get off the bus.
Afterward, they allegedly doused the interior of the vehicle with fuel and set it on fire. The attack occurred in broad daylight, leaving a cloud of smoke on the highway and the bus on fire.
Following the report, Civil Protection, Firefighters, Municipal Police, and Highway Department personnel quickly responded to the scene to extinguish the flames, treat people with mental illness, and secure the area. After several hours of work, the completely burned-out bus was removed from the scene, and so far, no injuries have been reported.
The mayor of Salamanca, César Prieto, confirmed the events in a statement:
“We will not allow these acts of violence to go unpunished,” the mayor stated.
He also confirmed that an investigation has already been opened to clarify the motives for the attack.
This attack follows other similar incidents reported in municipalities across the state of Guanajuato, where violence related to criminal groups has affected sectors such as public transportation.
Which are the most dangerous highways in Guanajuato?
The highway sections located in the Laja-Bajío and León-Silao areas are the most conflictive in the state, according to Mauro González, Secretary of Security and Peace of the state of Guanajuato.
He emphasized that there is currently security at a total of seven highway points in the state, where the State Public Security Forces, federal agents, and the Highway Police are working. Efforts have focused on curbing the crime of robbery of cargo vehicles and motorists on the two aforementioned stretches.
He indicated that on several highway sections, investigation and intelligence efforts have stopped cells dedicated to robbing cargo vehicles and robbing motorists. The challenge now is to replicate these same efforts in the Laja-Bajío area and on the León-Silao highway.
Source: telediario
