A wave of gang violence swept through the municipality of Múgica in Michoacán’s Tierra Caliente region over the weekend, terrorizing residents and leaving vehicles, businesses and houses burned and riddled with bullet holes.

Presumed members of criminal gangs burned at least four vehicles in order to block highways and the entrances to several residences in the municipality on Sunday.

The violence affected several communities and triggered panic among residents, many of whom fled to nearby hills fearing for their lives. They called for the National Guard and state police to be deployed in order to reestablish peace and order in the region.

State police had put a stop to the situation and cleared the roadblocks by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, announcing on Twitter that traffic had been restored to normal at one blockade in the city.

“In coordination with [the federal Defense Ministry] and [the National Guard], the [Michoacán state police] are carrying out operations to maintain order and tranquility among the people [of Múgica],” the force tweeted on Sunday evening.

Authorities had not released information on deaths resulting from the violence or the alleged gang affiliation of the perpetrators as of Monday morning, but the region has been a battleground for the Los Viagras and Jalisco New Generation cartels in recent years.

Source: Milenio (sp)