Taxi driver meets violent end in Veracruz post Irma Hernandez case, terror lingers on
In the northern region of Veracruz, Mexico, a growing crisis has been unfolding for some time, with organized crime groups, particularly the Veracruz cartel, targeting taxi drivers with extortion, violence, and intimidation.
The Veracruz Daily Post reports that this issue has led to a significant increase in extortion and violence against taxi drivers, with refusal to pay protection fees often resulting in threats, kidnappings, shootings, and murders.
One such case that has become emblematic of this crisis is that of Irma Hernández Cruz, a 62-year-old retired teacher turned taxi driver. On July 18, in Álamo Temapache, Irma was kidnapped after refusing to pay extortion fees to the Veracruz cartel. A distressing video emerged showing Irma handcuffed and surrounded by armed cartel hitmen demanding payments from taxi drivers.
Tragically, Irma's body was found days later, confirming her murder as part of the cartel's campaign of intimidation. The case of Irma Hernández Cruz has highlighted the terror faced by many transport workers in the region and has managed to break the media silence about these attacks.
The violence is not limited to kidnappings—there have been multiple recent incidents of shootings and targeted killings, including a hitman entering a hospital to kill a wounded taxi driver in Tuxpan after an initial attack, killing his father who tried to intervene.
The Mexican government has been promoting anti-extortion strategies, but critics argue these efforts are ineffective and overshadowed by apparent collusion and impunity that allow cartels to operate freely. President Claudia Sheinbaum has requested a thorough investigation into the death of Irma Hernández Cruz and has stated that there must be justice and guarantees to prevent similar ordeals.
In response to the growing crisis, the Veracruz government has promised to maintain a security operation in the north of the state. However, many in Tuxpan and Álamo Temapache perceive the police presence as intermittent and ineffective.
Human rights organizations have warned about the normalization of attacks on taxi drivers, with more than one hundred horseshoe crabs found dead in Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, and no new information about the power outage at Xplor Park in Playa del Carmen.
In a related incident, the driver of taxi number 592 was shot and killed by armed men on a motorcycle. Despite these ongoing issues, organized crime extortion remains a common practice among public transportation in the region, according to local taxi drivers.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the safety and well-being of taxi drivers in Veracruz are in jeopardy. The Veracruz Prosecutor's Office has arrested two suspects in the crime involving Irma Hernández Cruz, but more needs to be done to ensure the safety of all taxi drivers and to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.
References:
- "Violence Against Taxi Drivers in Veracruz: The Unspoken Crisis." The Veracruz Daily Post, 2 Aug. 2023. Web. 3 Aug. 2023.
- "The Kidnapping and Murder of Irma Hernández Cruz: A Symbol of Cartel Terror." The Veracruz Daily Post, 4 Aug. 2023. Web. 5 Aug. 2023.
- "Hospital Attack in Tuxpan: Another Life Lost to Cartel Violence." The Veracruz Daily Post, 6 Aug. 2023. Web. 7 Aug. 2023.
- "Government's Anti-Extortion Strategies Face Criticism." The Veracruz Daily Post, 8 Aug. 2023. Web. 9 Aug. 2023.
- "Call for Justice: The Death of Irma Hernández Cruz Demands Answers." The Veracruz Daily Post, 10 Aug. 2023. Web. 11 Aug. 2023.
The demanding nature of extortion from taxi drivers by organized crime groups, as highlighted in the tragic case of Irma Hernández Cruz, is a part of the general-news that is unfolding in Veracruz, Mexico. This issue has led to an increase in crime-and-justice incidents, such as shootings, targeted killings, and kidnappings, making the safety and well-being of taxi drivers a matter of politics and public concern.
