Hitmen murdered fishing leader Sunshine Rodríguez Peña in Mexicali

Sunshine Rodríguez was executed in a direct attack in Mexicali

The homicide occurred on the afternoon of March 8 in Mexicali, Baja California, when Rodríguez Peña was surprised by four hitmen who arrived in a vehicle.

The strikers fired more than 40 times, ensuring that the victim had no chance of survival. The attack took place in broad daylight, in front of witnesses, and was documented in videos that quickly went viral on social media.

Who was Sunshine Rodríguez and why was he killed?

Rodríguez Peña was a controversial figure in the fishing community, as he had been accused of leading the so-called "Cartel of the Sea", an organization accused of the illegal fishing of the totoaba species.

In 2020,  he was arrested by the Navy and the National Guard on charges of illegal trafficking of protected species and organized crime. However, he was acquitted in 2022 due to lack of evidence, which raised suspicions about the influence he had at various levels of power.

Additionally, Rodríguez Peña had been a strong critic of environmental organizations, whom he accused of affecting the economy of local fishermen with surveillance operations in the Gulf of California.

Organized crime and the dispute over totoaba trafficking

Rodríguez Peña's murder occurs in a context of growing violence in Baja California, where the totoaba trafficking mafias have been linked with drug cartels.

The totoaba bladder is sold on the Asian black market for up to 60,000 dollars per kilo, making it as lucrative a business as drug trafficking. The fight for control of this activity has led to kidnappings, executions, and confrontations.

Federal authorities have not ruled out that Rodríguez Peña's murder was a settling of scores between criminal groups that operate in the region.

Authorities have yet to identify those responsible

Despite the brutality of the attack and the available evidence, so far authorities have not arrested any suspects nor have they issued statements on possible lines of investigation.

Human rights organizations and fishermen's collectives demand that the case be clarified.

Meanwhile, the state government has remained silent about the murder, despite this case highlighting the growing influence of organized crime in the region.

Mexicali remains under the shadow of organized crime

Baja California has become a red zone of criminal violence, with daily executions and an alarming increase in homicides related to organized crime disputes.

As crime continues to take control of the region, citizens live in fear, in a territory where violence is the law.