Mexican drug cartel apologizes for kidnapping Americans

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) – Police in the Mexican city of Matamoros found five men tied and gagged Thursday next to a cloth banner apologizing for the kidnapping of four US citizens and the murder of two of them and assuring that the men were responsible for the attack.

The message was allegedly left by the Scorpions, the armed faction of the Gulf Cartel (CDG), in connection with the kidnappings on March 3 and murder of an innocent bystander who was shot to death at the moment of the abduction.

“The Gulf Cartel Grupo Escorpiones strongly condemns the events of Friday, March 3 in which unfortunately an innocent working mother died and four American citizens were kidnapped, of which two died,” it said.​​​​​​​

"For this reason, we have decided to hand over those involved and directly responsible for the events who at all times acted under their own determination and indiscipline and against the rules in which the CDG has always operated, respecting the life and integrity of the innocent.

“The CDG apologizes to the society of Matamoros, the American people and the families affected. The CDG asks the community to be calm because we are committed to ensuring that these errors caused by indiscipline are not repeated and that those responsible pay, whoever they are!!!!"

The kidnapping has drawn the ire of the US's most reactionary elements, igniting a debate on the role of the US in Mexico's public security.

Following the kidnapping of the US citizens, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he would push for the passage of a bill to empower the US military to attack criminal organizations in Mexico while labeling cartels terrorist groups and granting the US government permission to deploy forces in Mexico.

During his morning press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador slammed Graham's initiative, calling it "irresponsible” and saying such threats were "an insult to the people of Mexico and a lack of respect for our independence and sovereignty."

"Now, one of the coordinators of the Republican Party yesterday stated that they are going to present an initiative so that the armed forces of the United States intervene in Mexico to fight drug trafficking, especially, according to him, to prevent fentanyl from arriving from Mexico to the United States. We are not going to allow any foreign government to intervene, much less the armed forces of a foreign government, to intervene in our territory," said Lopez Obrador.

The two American citizens who survived the kidnapping, Latavia McGee and Eric Williams, have returned to the US, with the latter being treated at a hospital in Texas for gunshot wounds to his legs.