The Guanajuato State Prosecutor's Office announced on 4/8 that "Of the 32 bodies found at the scene in La Calera, 15 have been identified."
The information was released following a transparency request from Hasta Encontrate, an organization composed of families of missing persons in Mexico.
Authorities conducted a search of the abandoned farm in La Calera, Irapuato, from July 30 to August 4. They discovered numerous dismembered bodies buried near a warehouse on the property.
Chief Prosecutor Gerardo Vazquez Alatriste described the discovery as the result of a thorough investigation based on intelligence analysis and inter-agency cooperation. He stated that some information is being withheld to protect the integrity of the investigation and avoid causing further distress to the victims' families.
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Forensic personnel and Guanajuato state police excavate bodies at the La Calera farm on July 30. Photo: Guanajuato State Prosecutor's Office |
Forensic personnel and Guanajuato state police excavate bodies at the La Calera farm on July 30. Photo: Guanajuato State Prosecutor's Office
Hasta Encontrate claims to have received reports of between 20 and 60 bodies buried at the La Calera farm.
"We will not allow these victims to remain nameless. We reject the perpetual silence from the system and demand the right to identify our loved ones," the organization declared.
Guanajuato, an industrial and tourism hub, has Mexico's highest rate of violent crime, largely due to turf wars between the Santa Rosa de Lima and Jalisco New Generation cartels.
Last year, the state recorded over 3,100 homicides, accounting for 10.5% of the national total. It also received around 3,600 missing person reports, compared to over 120,000 nationwide.
The La Calera discovery underscores the severity of Mexico's missing person and gang violence crisis.
Earlier this year, the nation was shocked by the discovery of a "death camp" in Jalisco state. Drug cartels used a farm in Izaguirre to eliminate rivals and incinerate victims. Authorities identified at least six mass graves in the area but have yet to determine the exact number of victims.
Thanh Danh (AFP, El Universal)
