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Deadly Blasts During El Grito Celebrations

14:09 H | Topics: Drugs - Mexico - Military

Last night, Mexico celebrated it's independence day from Spain with El Grito celebrations throughout Mexico. Unfortunately, one of those events was marred by two explosions that killed seven and wounded at least fifty:

The explosions occured shortly before midnight (0500 GMT) and just after the beginning of a re-enactment of the cry of independence known as "El Grito," a traditional ceremony celebrated throughout the country.

Responsibility for the explosions, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Mexico City, was not immediately clear, but dozens of police engaged in a shootout after chasing suspects in the vicinity, the El Sol de Morelia newspaper reported.

The army also took control of the entryways and exits of Morelia as well as city nightspots, the paper said.

Organized criminals are the main suspects behind the blast, although exploding bombs on a major national holiday seems to be far too symbolic of a practice for drug traffickers. I'm not sure, either, what the point would be for drug traffickers to blow people up? What would they be trying to prove/protest by doing that?

I wonder if there is something else going on that the Mexican government is trying to hide? Not the first time something like that has ever happened, right?

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