Mexico Security Contractors Linked To US Embassy Killed In Guadalajara

On Friday night, a hail of gunfire erupted at a casual taquería on Santa Rosalía Avenue in Residencial La Soledad, San Pedro Tlaquepaque—just south of Guadalajara—leaving two seasoned security professionals dead and several others wounded. According to the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office (FGE), the assailants arrived in a red Nissan around 9:49 p.m., disembarked, and sprayed the restaurant’s outdoor seating area with high-caliber rounds before fleeing the scene. Four diners were injured in the attack; among them was a third security instructor, now hospitalized in critical condition  .

The two men killed have been identified as César Gustavo Guzmán González and Carlos Amador Chavela. Guzmán, 50, was a former federal and state police officer who served with Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office and Interpol. He led the western-Mexico chapter of ASIS International, the global association for security professionals, and ran his own security consultancy. In the days before his death, Guzmán had co-taught counter-drug and intelligence-gathering courses to officers at the Police University of Jalisco under a U.S. State Department–sponsored program. These have existed in some form or another since the Merida Initiative.

Carlos Amador Chavela was a former undersecretary of public security for Hidalgo state and an expert in combating financial crimes. Like Guzmán, he contracted with the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to deliver training to federal and state police forces across Mexico. Both men had long collaborated with U.S. agencies—initial reports suggested embassy ties—but the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara clarified that neither was “currently” employed by the diplomatic mission, extending condolences while deferring further comment to Mexican authorities  .

Local authorities have launched a homicide investigation, securing surveillance footage and recovering shell casings from the scene. In a brief public statement, FGE spokespersons characterized the ambush as an organized-crime hit but declined to release additional details pending ballistic analyses and witness interviews. Mexico’s towns are characterized by institutional banditry where homicides are mostly unresolved. However, Tlaquepaque is no small town or destitute, as it is both a major manufacturing hub for automative production and electronics. It’s also a major cultural tourism hub.

President Comments

Nevertheless, President Claudia Sheinbaum stressed that the victims were not active U.S. Embassy staff and emphasized that Mexican security forces would share updates as soon as investigations yield actionable leads. This may or may not be resolved anytime soon despite her public comment.

The attack strikes at the heart of ongoing efforts by Mexican and U.S. authorities to fortify local police forces against drug-cartel influence. ASIS International mourned Guzmán’s passing in a social-media post, calling him “an industry leader whose life was dedicated to raising security standards,” and pledged support for his family and colleagues. Experts warn that the boldness of Friday’s ambush underscores both the risk faced by security trainers in Jalisco—a region long beset by cartel violence—and the lengths to which criminal groups will go to disrupt law-enforcement partnerships. Authorities say that any further disclosures will hinge on forensic results and the cooperation of those who witnessed the attack.