Jalisco drug cartel offers apology for disturbances

“We ask forgiveness for the events of last Friday. It was just a reaction to the capture of our associate from the CJNG. We are dedicated to our own affairs, and caring for and maintaining the tranquility of the state of Jalisco,” read one of the “narcomantas” (narco messages).

At least 15 messages were discovered in the metropolitan zone and the Lake Chapala area early Wednesday morning. The messages also threatened rival cartel Los Zetas. Aiming to paint themselves as guardians of the people, the CJNG urged citizens to report any attempted extortions or crimes against them.

As apologies go, this was almost as good as Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos’ message to tourists caught up in the armed uprising he led in Chiapas in 1994: “Excuse the inconvenience, but this is a revolution.”