SALAMANCA, GUANAJUATO, MEXICO – JANUARY 25, 2026 Armed men attacked people gathered at a local soccer field shortly after the match ended. According to witnesses, several armed men arrived at the field in vehicles. They then got out and opened fire on those present. According to local witnesses, more than 100 shots were heard at the scene. The attackers then quickly fled the area.
The aftermath of the attack was tragic. Ten people died at the scene, and another victim later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. In total, 11 people were killed and another 12 were injured. Among the injured were also a woman and a minor.
The attack took place in an area that has long been plagued by violence involving organized criminal groups. Guanajuato is one of Mexico’s most violence-affected states, and a territorial struggle between Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) and Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is ongoing in the region.
Investigators later linked the massacre to the conflict between these groups. In February, Moisés Soto, identified as a leader of a Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima cell operating in the Salamanca area, was arrested. According to the investigators’ theory, Soto was directly linked to the attack in which 11 people were killed.
READ MORE:
https://apnews.com/article/mexico-cartel-salamanca-guanajuato-sheinbaum-f25805cde730397abafeb73ac451c49f
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/armed-attack-mexicos-salamanca-kills-11-2026-01-26/
