Mexican army sends troops, helicopters, convoys in to towns cut off by drug cartels

By EDGAR H. CLEMENTE
Associated Press

TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico’s armed forces sent troops, vehicle convoys and soldiers into remote towns near the southern border with Guatemala, after drug cartels blocked roads and cut off electricity in some areas over the weekend. The drug cartel turf battles were so bad in the southern state of Chiapas that some government workers had to be flown in by helicopter to repair power lines.  A combined force of about 800 soldiers, National Guard officers and police fanned out around the township of Frontera Comalapa Wednesday, after videos surfaced over the weekend of a convoy of heavily-armed gunmen from the Sinaloa cartel rolling into one town, drawing cheers from some inhabitants.