War in Bacalar: Airstrips, Cartel Conflict, and Hidden Secrets

Last Thursday, a group from the Caborca Cartel swept through the community farmland of El Gallito, in Bacalar, Quintana Roo. This aggressive action was preceded by a chilling event on May 18, when two tortured bodies were found at a local funeral home. The victims were Marina Coronel, the general secretary of the Bacalar City Council, and her nephew José Roberto Coronel, a close associate of the city mayor.

Local media have linked the Coronels to the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations in the region. The Caborca Cartel, led by José Gil Caro Quintero, also known as El Pelo Chino, has been attempting to gain control of this area of Quintana Roo for months. This region, known for its hidden airstrips, is a popular landing spot for shipments from Central and South America. The bodies of the Coronels were moved to the Semefo under the protection of the National Guard after the Caborca Cartel threatened anyone who attempted to claim them.

Many locals sought safety in the mountains, with some still reportedly lost. The community was left devastated, with houses and palapas burned, machinery and vehicles incinerated, and homes ransacked. Bullet-riddled facades stand as a brutal reminder of the attack. This onslaught followed warnings from food suppliers who had been threatened by the Caborca Cartel not to sell to El Gallo. These threats also deterred buyers from purchasing cattle, leading to a shortage of goods and eventually, a cut-off of electricity to the farmland.

The Caborca Cartel aimed to displace the Coronels from this area, a key drug collection center due to its role in air trafficking and its natural flat landing strips. The locals of El Gallito were caught in the crossfire. Other communities such as Río Verde, Miguel Alemán, Canaán, Otilio Montaño, Melchor Ocampo, Zamora, and Francisco Villa also find themselves in the midst of this cartel violence. As one local put it, “They have all the towns cornered. Those jerks are everywhere.”

On May 22, the army evacuated women and children from around 40 families, while the men stayed behind to protect their properties. Before the evacuation, villagers met with representatives from the prosecutor’s office and the National Guard, reporting the criminals who were imposing fees and setting prices for basic goods.