An 18-hour protest in the municipality of Villa Comaltitlán ended Sunday afternoon after members of the State Public Security Secretariat (SSP) carried out an operation to clear a road blockade, reopen the coastal highway, and rescue detained state officials.
According to sources at the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE), the intervention using force was decided upon after dialogue broke down Sunday morning.
Among those detained was the Istmo-Costa prosecutor, Miguel Ángel Maza de la Cruz, who was tied up and doused with gasoline by protesters, raising the risk of an extreme act and triggering the security forces’ intervention.
During the operation, which involved members of the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force, tear gas was used to disperse the protesters. The action left at least two security personnel injured and affected residents uninvolved in the conflict.
“They shouldn’t be using that, there are children here,” a neighbor complained after the tear gas reached homes near the blockade.
The protest began Saturday night, led by family and friends of Óscar José González Reynoso, a 16-year-old student at Cecyte Plantel 03, who died Wednesday after being run over as he left school.
The protesters accused the authorities of negligence, stating that the alleged perpetrator was not apprehended promptly despite the circumstances. Given the lack of institutional response in the following days, the community decided to block one of the region’s main roads.
After state forces advanced, the protesters dispersed. Security sources reported 22 arrests; however, no official report has yet been released with the final tally of injuries or arrests.
The reopening of the highway restored traffic flow at a key point for international trade. The blockade stranded hundreds of motorists, public transportation vehicles, and cargo trucks traveling between Mexico and Central America for nearly a day.
Traffic flowed normally, while a security detail remained in the area to prevent further violence or the reactivation of the blockade.
Source: proceso
