Where silence reigns

There are very few occasions where silence reigns in the city during the late afternoon. It’s not just any city, it’s one of the three biggest cities in Mexico: Guadalajara.

During Christmas and New Year’s, there is usually no noise on the streets, as many families celebrate from the night before until the early morning with a feast and party.

However, It had been extraordinary this time, because we don’t have any special holiday or celebrations. This time, the fear is accompanied by silence.

I’m not going to talk about why this situation is affecting the entire city and its surrounding areas; there are many news and media reporting on it and they can probably explain it better than I can. This is about a cartel and the government.

I consider myself fortunate to have a relatively serene day. On Sunday mornings, we usually eat breakfast together at my father’s house after church. My parents have the habit of going to the market after breakfast to buy fruits and vegetables.

While they were there in the market, I began to see a lot of news about the capture of a capo and the consequences of this act, such as blocked main streets with burning vehicles, convenience stores burned down, and armed confrontations between the cartel and police.

After a few minutes, my parents called to inform me that they had deviated from their return route, and we had no idea why (a gas station was on fire). Uncertainty may be really uncomfortable.

Thanks to God, they arrived safely at home and with everything they needed. We saw in the news that the red code was activated throughout the city, indicating a type of curfew, and that everyone should stay in their homes to avoid tragedy. This is the first time in over 30 years that I’ve seen this protocol used in the city. I remember seeing him more than a year ago in Culiacán, Sinaloa.

I had to go home to protect myself after seeing this government instruction. I’m glad I live near to my parents and it didn’t take me long to get there. My sister, who is a nurse, received notification from the hospital where she works that she should be unable to work. We appeared to be at peace and safe.

When I arrived home, I saw messages reporting that all stores were closed, public transportation had been suspended, and the city streets were deserted. I started hearing ambulance and police sirens nearby. After an hour, silence reigned.

A lot of people who weren’t at home had to wait hours for the situation to calm down. Life and death looked like flipping a coin in the air.

My family and friends are now doing well. There have been material losses for some civilians who were forced to abandon their vehicles or businesses, as well as multiple deaths among armed forces and the cartel. We are not sure if this will last days or months, like in Culiacán. This is part of our reality.