In-telligent Emergency Alerts Feed

At least 12 people are dead and three others are injured after two transit vans collided along the Palenque-Playas de Catazajá highway. Photos published by the state’s Civil Protection office show that after the collision, the two vans were engulfed in flames and completely burned out. All of the passengers are presumed to be Central American migrants. The three who were injured have been confirmed to be Honduran and have been transferred to Palenque General Hospital. Criminal gangs that traffic migrants, known as polleros, are common in the area. They transport migrants from the southern Guatemalan border to Mexico City, or the United States border for hefty sums. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/collision-between-transit-vans-kills-12-in-chiapas/

At least 19 people have been killed and three others are injured after an accident involving a transport truck on the Mexico City-Puebla highway. The truck was travelling toward the capital when its brakes went out, causing it to crash through the San Marcos Huixtoco toll booths and collide with numerous cars head-on. The crash caused a massive blaze that engulfed several vehicles, killing their occupants. According to a deputy fire department chief in Chalco, the vehicles' own gasoline fueled the flames and it took about 40 minutes to get the blaze under control. The truck was carrying 6,000 liters of textile glue, which is not flammable. The driver of the truck is among the deceased. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/accident-kills-19-on-mexico-city-puebla-highway/

A landslide in Mallama, Colombia has killed at least 12 people and left another 10 missing. However, some reports suggest as many as 14 people were killed and 20 others are missing. This landslide, likely caused by heavy rains, is the deadliest one to occur in the country this year. Search and rescue operations have been launched; according to rescue workers, 11 people have been pulled from the rubble alive. Mallama lies in the Andean region of Nariño state, where landslides are fairly common during the rainy seasons. The country's rainy seasons fall between September and December, as well as March and June. https://colombiareports.com/landslide-kills-at-least-12-in-southwest-colombia/

Peru's government has approved deployment of the army in order to help police maintain order in Lima. The resolution published in the official gazette states that the increase in robberies and assaults had risen past the capacity of the police and that troops have been authorized to aid officers in the capital for a month. In addition to crime, there has been an increase in civil unrest as people are protesting against mining and oil companies, and many others are planning to go on strike over rising fuel prices. The measure comes two days before congress debates a vote of confidence on the recently-appointed cabinet. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-02/peru-to-deploy-troops-in-lima-after-rise-in-disorder-nationwide

According to state authorities, eleven people were found shot dead in Tangamandapio, Michoacán, Mexico late Monday night. The Michoacán Attorney's General Office said that the bodies have not yet been identified and were taken to a government morgue in neighboring Zamora. The victims were killed on the side of a rural road at around 10:30 pm near the indigenous Purépecha community of Tarecuato. Authorities collected ballistic evidence from the scene and seized a pickup truck and three motorcycles. Officials have not officially released a motive for the attack and stated that no arrests have been made as of the time of reporting. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/11-men-killed-in-michoacan-massacre/

Mexican journalists are alarmed after two veteran journalists in the country were attacked and killed in their own homes within 24 hours of each other. The two killings brings the total journalists killed in Mexico this year to nine, already surpassing the eight murders that occurred in 2020. Fredy López Arévalo, a reporter from southern Chiapas was shot in the head in his home, while Acapulco journalist Alfredo Cardoso was pulled from his home and was later found after being shot five times. Cardoso later died from his injuries in the hospital. Mexico has gained a reputation for being one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists in recent years. The country's murder rate has been on the rise since former president Felipe Calderón declared a militarized crackdown on drug cartels in 2006 and attacks on journalists have increased along with it. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/01/mexico-journalists-killed-violence-reporters

Nine firefighters have died near the Brazilian city of Altinopolis after a cave collapsed while training exercises were being carried out inside. According to the Sao Paulo fire department, the accident occurred on Sunday while there were 26 firefighters inside of the Duas Bocas cave. Initial reports stated that three people involved in the accident had died and six were missing but those who were missing were later confirmed to be deceased. At least three of the victims suffered fractures and hypothermia and a total of five of them were sent to the hospital before being discharged later on. Police and emergency health teams aided firefighters in the rescue efforts but were hampered by heavy rains. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/1/nine-firefighters-killed-in-brazil-cave-collapse

According to Catholic Church’s Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), violence targeting indigenous people in Brazil surged more than 61 percent last year, as invasions of their territories increased and the government failed to intervene. The rights group's annual report indicated that there were 182 murders in 2020, compared to 113 in 2019. There were also 263 land invasions during 2020, a 137 percent increase over the previous year. The report places blame on President Jair Bolsonaro's administration for failing to protect indigenous communities and pushing legislation to open up their land to commercial mining, oil and gas exploration, and the building of hydroelectric dams. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/28/brazil-indigenous

According to UNICEF, the lives of patients in Haiti's major hospitals are at risk due to fuel shortages affecting operations. Supplies have been disrupted for weeks, as truck drivers fear for their safety due to the gangs that have controlled the roads in recent months. Protesters have also hampered deliveries by setting up roadblocks in opposition to the lack of security. Due to frequent power cuts, hospitals have been relying on gas generators to power their facilities. UNICEF estimates that 300 children, 45 women and 150 COVID-19 patients may be at risk if fuel to power the generators is not delivered by Tuesday. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59035552

Notorious drug lord Dairo Antonio Úsuga, widely known as Otoniel, has been arrested after a joint operation by the country's army, air force and police officers. He was the leader of the Gulf Cartel, Colombia's largest criminal organization, and was on the US Drug Enforcement Agency's most wanted list. US officials had placed a $5 million bounty on him after they accused him of trafficking at least 73 metric tons of cocaine into the country between 2003 and 2014. According to Colombia's Defense Minister Diego Molano, authorities intend to comply with the US extradition order. Extradition is a common strategy employed after gang leaders are arrested, as it puts them thousands of miles away from their home country, with few connections, and no way to intimidate prison guards or directors. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59032300