At a glance:
- Two gunmen intercepted a prisoner transport in Hidalgo, Mexico, freeing two kidnapping suspects during a transfer to a courthouse.
- Authorities have recaptured one suspect, while the other and the gunmen remain at large as an extensive manhunt continues.
- The suspects are connected to a previous kidnapping incident, highlighting rising crime rates in the region.
Mexican authorities are pursuing an intense manhunt after a daring prison break in Hidalgo, central Mexico, where two gunmen overpowered guards and freed two men accused of kidnapping. The incident occurred as prison guards were transporting the suspects from a prison near Mixquiahualato to a courthouse in Progreso de Obregon. According to the Hidalgo Attorney General’s Office, the convoy was intercepted by gunmen in a white Nissan Tsuru who managed to overpower the guards and rescue the suspects.
The suspects, identified as 46-year-old Luis Fernando Ugalde Pérez and 27-year-old Juan Pablo Sanchez Mendoza, were allegedly involved in a February 27 kidnapping in which they held a man for ransom in a stash house in Xochitlan. The victim was later rescued by state police, who arrested the three suspects in connection with the crime. Authorities believe that after abandoning the Nissan Tsuru several miles from the scene, the gunmen switched vehicles to evade detection.
The escape and subsequent manhunt come amid growing concerns over increasing violence in central Mexico. Despite assurances from authorities that crime rates are declining, residents in areas like Hidalgo have witnessed a surge in violent crimes, including carjackings, armed robberies, and kidnappings. Federal agencies are supporting local law enforcement in the ongoing search for Sanchez Mendoza and the remaining accomplices, who are believed to be heavily armed and dangerous.
The incident underscores the challenges Mexican authorities face in combating organized crime and maintaining control over high-risk transfers. While one of the suspects has been recaptured, the brazen nature of the escape has prompted calls for increased security measures during prisoner transfers and better resources for law enforcement in high-crime regions.
Ildefonso Ortiz and Brandon Darby, co-founders of Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project, have been closely following the situation, highlighting the ongoing risks and complexities of dealing with cartel-related activities and organized crime throughout Mexico.
