Maria Susana Flores Gamez, 20, was the 2012 Woman of Sinaloa. She was killed Saturday in a gun battle between military troops and suspected criminals in the municipality of Mocorito. Two others were also killed.
Miss Sinaloa’s boyfriend, a hire-for-murder, was also killed during the gunfire. The drug gang is linked to Orso Ivan Gastelum, leader of the ‘hire for murders’ who serve the all powerful Sinaloa drug cartel.
The shooting took place in a mountainous region of Sinaloa. Police found an automatic weapon near Maria Susana’s body. They aren’t sure if she fired the riffle.
“She was in the company of the gang but we can’t say she participated in the shooting,” said the public prosecutor.
Police arrested 4 gang related suspects. In addition to Maria Susana and her boyfriend another ‘hire-for-murder’ member was killed, as well as two soldiers.
Police say this is at least the 3rd time they discovered a relationship between beauty pageants and drug cartels.
Just last year a movie entitled ‘Miss Bala’ (Miss Bullet) was released that had a closing scene resembling the shootout that killed Maria Susana.
Javier Valdez, who wrote the book ‘Miss Narco’ says there is clearly a connection between beauty pageants and drug cartels.
“The same story repeats,” says Valdez. “There is definitely a relationship, sometimes happy, most of the time tragedy.”
“There’s even a connection between cartels and the business of pageantry,” according to Valdez.
“Privileges, money, power are a few items that draw young people in a country that doesn’t offer much opportunity for them. You end up quickly in a drug gang. Sometimes the cartels themselves chose the beauties, many times however, the beauties go looking for ‘friends’ in the drug cartel.”
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