A cartel turf war between CJNG and Los Zetas led to the killing of 14 people, including an infant, at a birthday party in Veracruz.
Key Facts
- Date
- 19 April 2019
- Victims killed
- 14 people
- Youngest victim
- One-year-old baby
- Event targeted
- Birthday party for a 52-year-old woman
- Suspected motive
- Cartel turf war (CJNG vs. Los Zetas)
- Target sought
- "La Becky", manager of a local gay bar
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
An ongoing territorial conflict between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and Los Zetas in Veracruz created violent friction. The gay bar manager known as "La Becky" had been paying protection money to Los Zetas, making her a target for rival cartel members seeking to assert dominance in the area.
On the night of 19 April 2019, armed assailants entered a birthday party in Minatitlán, Veracruz, demanding the whereabouts of "La Becky." When she was not produced, the attackers opened fire, killing 14 people, including a one-year-old child, among the party guests.
State security secretary Hugo Gutiérrez announced that suspects had been identified and a search was launched. Investigators attributed the massacre to the CJNG–Los Zetas turf war, highlighting the deadly impact of cartel rivalry on civilian life in Veracruz.