Explosions ripped through a crowd of people celebrating Mexican independence day in a western city, killing at least three revelers and wounding about 50, the Michoacan state government said.
The explosions in the center of Morelia late on Monday might have been caused by grenades, El Universaldaily said.
Morelia is the capital of Michoacan, a state hit in recent years by drug gang violence. More than 2,700 people have been killed in Mexico this year as violence between drug gangs spins out of control despite a military crackdown.
"The government condemns in the strongest terms the violent acts in the city of Morelia during independence day celebrations and will double efforts to support the state of Michoacan," president Felipe Calderon's office said in a statement.
Mexicans gather in town squares across the country on the night of September 15th to celebrate Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo's 1810 call for independence when he launched a revolt against Spanish rule by ringing a church bell and shouting "Viva Mexico" to a cheering crowd.
The first explosion in Morelia went off at 11pm at the height of a re-enactment of the bell-ringing, an emotional ceremony known as "El Grito" or "The Shout".
Reuters