Gang 'Los Mexicanos' threatens to kill bus workers in San Juan de Miraflores
A passenger tout was murdered near Atocongo terminal; the gang 'Los Mexicanos' demanded payment of protection money via WhatsApp.
Passenger tout killed at Atocongo after refusing to pay protection money
The murder of a passenger tout known as "Yayita" in the vicinity of Atocongo terminal in San Juan de Miraflores has once again exposed the systematic extortion suffered by informal transport workers on routes to the south of Lima. According to infobae.com, alleged members of the gang 'Los Mexicanos' distributed a message in a transporters' WhatsApp group demanding punctual payment of protection money and warning that murders would continue.
The attack occurred at night near the Pan-American South Highway
The crime was recorded around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, when the victim was waiting for passengers behind an assistance post located next to the Pan-American South Highway. The attackers shot him and fled on a motorcycle, according to a report from América Noticias.
The phrase distributed in the WhatsApp group was direct: "We will keep killing them". The message, attributed to 'Los Mexicanos', increased fear among those working at the informal bus stops in the sector.
Third homicide in the area in less than a year
Yayita's murder is the third in that area so far this year. According to América Noticias, two minibus drivers were murdered in January and June at the informal bus stop located beneath the Atocongo bridge, whilst waiting for passengers. The new attack occurred four months after the previous crime recorded in the report.
Workers in the area attribute the threats and collection of protection money to the gang 'Los Mexicanos', although the authorities are those who must establish criminal responsibility in each case.
Drivers report forced payment to operate
Several transporters interviewed by the news outlet described the mechanics of extortion. One of them stated before the cameras: "To operate my vehicle I have to pay". The drivers pointed out that the economic demands affect those working on routes bound for Ica and other points to the south of Lima.
Most of the workers present at the site avoided speaking before the cameras out of fear of reprisals, in a context marked by direct threats against those operating at the informal bus stops at Atocongo.
Residents fear stray bullets in busy area
Fear is not limited to transporters. A resident interviewed by América Noticias expressed her concern about being caught in the middle of an armed confrontation whilst passing through the sector. The possibility of gunfire in an area busy with drivers and passengers raises the sense of insecurity among residents and workers near the terminal.
The sector concentrates informal vehicles that cover routes to the south of Lima, with a large portion of the units destined for Ica, according to testimony gathered by the news outlet.
Criminal Investigation Department of San Juan de Miraflores investigates the homicide
The investigation fell to the Criminal Investigation Department (Depincri) of San Juan de Miraflores, which is seeking to identify those responsible and clarify the circumstances of the murder. The proceedings must determine who participated in the attack and whether there is a direct link to the threats distributed in the transporters' WhatsApp group.
Source: Google News PR — San Juan