Unidentified individuals set fire to the El Maranhao bar in Nuevo Laredo at around 3 a.m. May 24. An hour after the fire, seven police officers were wounded when an improvised explosive device or grenade detonated inside a vehicle at a nearby hotel occupied by Tamaulipas state police. These incidents are the latest in a streak of attacks in the Mexican border city since May 21, including at least three other arsons targeting hotels and businesses.
Because at least three of these locations have alleged links to Los Zetas, the attacks likely were carried out by rival cartels — namely the Sinaloa Federation and its allies in the Gulf cartel — that have been attempting to infiltrate the Zetas stronghold of Nuevo Laredo. Attacking business establishments linked to rival groups is a common tactic used by Mexico's organized criminal groups, whether as a means to extort business owners in an area or attack a rival criminal group's sources of revenue. The arson spree indicates that Los Zetas' rivals are increasing their efforts to disrupt the group's operation in the city.
The first in the recent string of arsons occurred May 21 at the El Amazonas casino. This was followed May 23 by arsons at two clubs, Zebra and Dubai. None of the assailants in these incidents have been identified, though each of these three establishments has widely reported links to the Zetas. The nature of Los Zetas' relationships with these establishments is unclear and could have involved anything from money laundering to use as a safe-house for storing operators, cash or illicit drugs.
Witnesses told the media that the fires were deliberate acts, though with the exception of the Hotel Santa Cecilia attack that wounded seven police officers, no casualties have been reported. The responsible parties chose to conduct the attacks during the hours of the early morning when the businesses were closed. In the case of the El Amazonas casino, the establishment had actually been closed since March and was therefore not open to the public. Attacking the businesses when no one is around allows the responsible individuals to conduct their attacks while minimizing unwanted attention from authorities and the media.
Media reports suggest the May 24 Hotel Santa Cecilia attack involved a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device that was detonated inside the hotel's premises, injuring seven of the police officers occupying the hotel at the time. Given the recent series of attacks on business establishments, it is unclear whether the actual target of the attack was the hotel itself, the police occupying the hotel or both. Because police officers are sometimes targeted at their homes, Mexican police often utilize hotels for temporary lodging in an effort to conceal their locations, and it would not be surprising if they were the intended target. The type of explosive device used in the attack has not been confirmed, and Stratfor sources have said the hotel may have been attacked with several hand grenades. It is also possible the attack was conducted with a less powerful incendiary device similar to the type used in an April 24 incident in Nuevo Laredo.
These attacks represent a new tactic in the Sinaloa Federation's most recent incursion into Nuevo Laredo. Previously, Los Zetas' rivals had focused their efforts on intimidating the public and local authorities in order to undermine the Zetas' support base in the city. More broadly, the recent series of attacks is part of the nationwide conflict over trafficking corridors by Los Zetas and the Sinaloa Federation with their respective allies. With Los Zetas assets under attack in their stronghold, the group is likely to retaliate in an attempt to preserve their hold over Nuevo Laredo against encroaching rivals, though the indistinct battle lines of the current conflict mean that a violent reprisal cannot be ruled out in the Sinaloa Federation's strongholds, such as Culiacan, Sinaloa state, or Guadalajara, Jalisco state.
