translated from Spanish: We didn’t know what to do or where to go

Many Culiacanans were surprised in the streets by clashes between armed groups and civil forces in the Sina-Anale capital. Some were lucky enough to receive asylum, but others, like Mary and her daughters, were not. They counted their experience to this medium. It should be noted that the person’s name and age are fictitious, in fear of identification. It looked like a normal shopping day.
Mary, 45, and her daughters, aged 15 and 12, had been thinking about going to the city centre for some days. Just on Thursday, October 17, they decided to go shopping, anticipating how long it would take during shoe purchases and the possible parking expense they would have to pay to take their car, so they chose to go by truck:
My two daughters and I got in the truck and arrived at the Center around 3:45 p.m., shortly before I arrived, my other daughter, who was in the house, called me to inform us of the shootings that had been in different parts of the city , including the center

For Mary and her daughters it was another shooting, which does not go from being an armed confrontation like those who sporadically show up in the city, but after a few minutes everything returns to normal. The driver of the truck where Maria and her daughters were transported told them that she would no longer pick up anyone, as she would leave the route because they were lifting truckers. They walked into a store and then a lot of people started running and crying, he narrates. “Armored vans with armed people, both military and narcos, passed through the streets of the Centre.” Trapped in the center of the cityThe employees of the store closed the store and took all the people to a cellar, until then Maria became aware of the gravity of the situation; were locked up for four hours. “We were all informed by the calls and social media of what was going on. Around 5:30 p.m., we were given notice of curfew, that we should all be in a safe place at 7 p.m. and no longer out, because things would get worse.” Many of those who were there made the decision to go out and go home. Maria decided to stay because there were no trucks anymore and she did not want to take any chances with her daughters; there were still people inside the cellar and it looked like they would stay and sleep there. Unsafe and without alternative «About 19:30 they said we had to leave because the company did not want to take responsibility if anything happened to us. One girl said they couldn’t get us out, because it was her duty to give us shelter in that situation and that if they took us out she could make a demand. However, the managers said we couldn’t stay inside and they were going to get us out. We didn’t know what to do or where to go, but we didn’t have a means of transportation. The girl left to get her car, but after a few minutes she ran back and scared. Just as I turned around on the street, a shooting started a few blocks away. After that scare, the idea of moving completely ruled out.” Looking for safety and returning home
The afternoon seemed endless, however, faced with the reality of seeing a city silenced, motionless and plagued by violence, and the helplessness of seeing each other in the street in the face of the situation, they decided to move and look for an establishment that would give them shelter, but their attempts were fruitless, it was already closed in the Center, so around 8 p.m. they made a reservation at the San Francisco hotel, next to the Garmendia market, where there were many citizens in their situation, including people who had accompanied in the store.

Later, naturally, we were all hungry

She mentioned, and told her that it was very significant for her that everyone could share what little they had: a young woman found a bag of frying, and offered it to those who were there.« A gentleman also found a loaf, which was later learned to be from the cleaning lady, who we handed out to touch a piece of it. There was also a soda that we also split. That was dinner, but we rested easy as we were all in a safe place,” he said amid sighs. At 7:30 a.m. on Friday Mary heard the news and asked if it was safe to leave. After a few hours, about 10:00, they were confirmed at the hotel that there was no risk and could return to their homes; in the case of no truck service, they asked a relative for help. Mary and her daughters, even without giving credence to what they had lived, felt fortunate to be well and to have come home safely.



Original source in Spanish

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