MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities blamed organized crime Tuesday for a pair of blasts that killed at least seven people and injured more than 100 during Independence Day festivities in a western state.
The explosions, which officials believed were caused by fragmentation grenades, ripped through crowds in the capital of Michoacan state late Monday night during the traditional cry of independence, or grito.
The violence jolted a Mexican population already unnerved by the rising death toll from the nation's drug war, and raised fears that it might represent the start of a Colombia-style terrorism campaign by drug traffickers. No one claimed responsibility.
Although a growing number of civilians have been caught in the crossfire of the drug violence, traffickers have not previously targeted them.
Some analysts saw the attack as a means of pressuring the government of President Felipe Calderon to back away from its 21-month-old campaign against drug-trafficking groups.
"They have been hit hard by the Calderon administration and this is the way they respond -- to generate fear in the Mexican population," said Jorge Chabat, a Mexico City-based security analyst. "The purpose . . . is to increase the political cost to Calderon of going after the cartels."
Mexican leaders said the attack intentionally targeted civilians.
"We have no doubt this is an act of terrorism," Michoacan Gov. Leonel Godoy, who was presiding over the grito in the city of Morelia but was not hurt, said in a statement.
In a television interview, Godoy said organized-crime elements appeared to have been responsible. But he did not provide evidence, or say which group was believed involved.
Godoy said the blasts were apparently caused by fragmentation grenades. Hit men for drug-trafficking organizations have at times employed the grenades against police and to intimidate foes.
If Godoy is right, attackers chose to make a powerful statement by launching an Independence Day attack on Michoacan, Calderon's home state.
Calderon's government began a crackdown against organized crime after taking office in December 2006. He has sent 40,000 troops and 5,000 federal police officers into the streets as part of the push, which has aggravated violent feuding among drug gangs.
More than 3,000 people have died this year in drug-related violence, according to unofficial tallies by the Mexican news media.
