Drug dealer conflict in Chiapas, Mexico! Nearly 600 people flee Mexico

According to Mexican and Guatemala officials recently, more than 500 Mexicans have fled to Guatemala to escape violent conflicts between drug cartels in Mexico.

According to Mexican media reports, in recent days, the notorious Mexican Sinaloa drug trafficking group and another drug trafficking group called "Jalisco New Generation" have repeatedly clashed in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, and residents have been robbed and other violent assault. In addition, a group of criminals looted a small town in Chiapas and expelled all its residents.

According to official statistics from Guatemala, there are currently about 580 Mexicans seeking refuge in Guatemala. There is currently a small community in Guatemala that houses these refugees. But according to community leaders, more Mexican refugees are expected to arrive in Guatemala in the next few days.

According to reports, violent clashes between drug trafficking organizations killed at least 19 people in Chiapas, and sources pointed out that drug trafficking organizations forcibly recruited young people into the alliance, the youngest of whom was only 15 years old. According to residents, the Mexican army and the National Guard had arrived at the scene, but had not taken measures to protect civilians.

It is understood that the conflict between the Sinaloa drug trafficking group and the "New Generation of Jalisco" has been on and off for nearly three years. The reason for the conflict is that the two drug trafficking groups are competing for drug smuggling routes in the region. It has repeatedly led to large-scale evacuations of residents, and violent conflicts have escalated in recent times.

Earlier, in early July, an armed conflict broke out in La Concordia, Chiapas, Mexico, killing at least 20 people. The conflict was also sparked by some drug cartels fighting for control of Mexico's southern border area.

The recent conflict is affecting Mexico's coffee industry, because the conflict area is Chiapas in southern Mexico. The state is the most important state in Mexico and the largest coffee producer. There are 9 regions in Chiapas, where coffee is grown, accounting for 44% of Mexico's coffee production. There are about 178,000 coffee farmers here, all of whom are small farmers who grow coffee on a family basis.

The violent conflict caused these farmers to be expelled, left their homes, and had to flee to Guatemala. This also resulted in the coffee trees being left unattended during this period, and may cause damage to the coffee trees, ultimately leading to a reduction in coffee production.

Earlier, Mexico has already reported that the coffee industry is seriously affected by climate. Due to high temperatures, drought and insufficient rainfall in the first half of the year, about 80% of Mexico's coffee planting area has been affected. Industry insiders expect that production will be reduced by up to 50% in 2024/25. This incident may cause the production reduction situation to worsen.

In addition, many coffee-producing countries around the world, including Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia, are currently reporting a decline in coffee production, which has affected coffee prices to remain high. Although Mexico is currently the eighth largest coffee producer and ninth largest coffee exporter in the world, reduced coffee production and increased domestic coffee consumption will reduce the amount of coffee available for export, which will also have a further impact on international coffee prices.