Nearly two months after a dramatic incursion by Mexican police into the Guatemalan border town of La Mesilla, life there remains far from normal. In June 2025, Mexican state police crossed into Guatemala in hot pursuit of alleged criminals linked to the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel, sparking a daytime shootout right in the heart of La Mesilla. The violent confrontation, involving armored vehicles barreling into downtown, left a lasting scar on the community and disrupted the fragile balance of daily life.
La Mesilla, like many remote border towns, relies heavily on commerce — both legal and illegal. The shootout on a bustling market day sent shockwaves through the town’s economy and its people. Vendors recall the chaos vividly. One clothing seller described how he fled to the Mexican side of the border during the firefight, abandoning his goods without a second thought. “I ran, left everything; it didn’t matter, I ran to the Mexican side,” he said. “We were afraid. When we saw that everything was alright, we returned, we grabbed everything and left.”
Such fear is understandable given the circumstances. The shootout erupted after Mexican police chased suspects from Mexico who fled across the border into Guatemala, turning La Mesilla’s main street into a battleground. Locals still feel the tension. “People want to forget what happened, but there’s still fear,” the young man explained.
This incident echoes a similar episode about a year earlier, when hundreds of Mexican citizens sought refuge in Guatemala to escape violent clashes between the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels. Those conflicts, driven by fierce competition to control lucrative border crossings, forced some refugees to spend months in Guatemala, caught in a dangerous limbo.
The cartels’ stakes are high. They aim to dominate the flow of drugs, migrants, and guns across the border, making towns like La Mesilla critical flashpoints. This ongoing struggle leaves locals caught in the crossfire, their livelihoods and safety hanging in the balance.
Despite increased police presence following the June shootout, the town’s economy has yet to bounce back. Another vendor lamented that sales haven’t returned to normal, even though the market day was traditionally a bustling event. “That Sunday (of the shootout) was the market day, there were a lot of people,” he noted. “Today we feel safer because there are more police, but sales haven’t recovered.”
Efforts to dismantle the criminal networks controlling the area continue. On July 30, 2025, more than 600 Guatemalan police and soldiers launched nearly two dozen raids in the surrounding regions. The operation, coordinated closely with Mexican authorities, aimed to prevent key targets from slipping across the border. However, the raids yielded only two guns and no arrests, highlighting the elusive nature of these criminal groups.
The targeted organization was reportedly led by a father-son duo, both of whom had been killed previously in clashes with Mexican police. Their deaths did not end the cartel’s influence in the area, underscoring the resilience and deep roots of these criminal enterprises.
Lusvin López, chief of the National Civil Police antidrug unit in Guatemala, confirmed that the July 30 operation was a direct response to the June shootout. The Interior Ministry also acknowledged support from the United States government, though details of that assistance remain undisclosed.
The persistent presence of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in La Mesilla complicates efforts to restore peace and normalcy. Locals remain hesitant to speak openly, wary of repercussions from the powerful criminal organization exerting control over the region.
The situation in La Mesilla illustrates the broader challenges faced by border communities caught between law enforcement efforts and cartel violence. The interplay of cross-border pursuits, cartel rivalries, and the struggle for control over trafficking routes creates a volatile environment that hampers recovery and threatens the safety of residents.
As the sun sets over La Mesilla, the town stands at a crossroads. While increased security measures offer some reassurance, the scars of past violence linger, and the economic lifeblood of the community remains fragile. The hope is that coordinated efforts by Guatemala, Mexico, and their international partners will eventually break the cycle of violence and allow La Mesilla to reclaim its place as a peaceful hub of commerce and culture on the border.
