Heavily armed and masked individuals have released a video criticizing those who are searching for missing family members at a location identified by authorities as a cartel training camp in Jalisco, Mexico.
In a video shared on Monday evening, a man, surrounded by others in formation, proclaimed their allegiance to the Jalisco New Generation cartel. He raised doubts about the intentions of those searching for the missing, who reported discovering numerous pieces of clothing, dozens of shoes, and charred bones at a ranch near Guadalajara last week.
The Attorney General’s Office, currently investigating the cartel’s facility, has not responded to requests for comments. The Associated Press could not independently verify the origins of the video.
Security analyst David Saucedo expressed confidence that the Jalisco cartel was behind the video, noting its resemblance to other content linked to the group. The video appears aimed at rehabilitating the cartel’s image and countering the intense media coverage surrounding the site.
According to a member of the Jalisco Search Warriors, the group dedicated to locating missing individuals, “It’s incredibly delicate; it’s an outrage that they attempt to tarnish our name,” she said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. “They’re trying to absolve themselves of responsibilities they’ve created,” she added, referring to the video’s claims that the cartel was not involved in forced recruitment or killings at the site. “And where are the authorities? They haven’t come forward to support us or clarify their stance.” She lamented, “No one protects us. We face this fear daily… all we want is to find our children.”
Over 120,000 Missing in Mexico
The search group opted not to identify the criminal organization potentially responsible for the camp, citing safety concerns. These groups, prevalent throughout Mexico, often avoid making demands for justice and focus solely on locating their loved ones.
The ranch in Teuchitlan, located about 37 miles from Guadalajara, was initially discovered by National Guard units in September, leading to the arrest of ten individuals and the recovery of a body wrapped in plastic. However, the investigation seemed to stall until earlier this month when members of the Jalisco Search Warriors visited the site based on a tip, uncovering evidence including shoes, clothing, and what appeared to be burned bone fragments.
Jalisco State Prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos visited the ranch last week and acknowledged that previous searches were inadequate, though he did not elaborate on the failures. His office shared images of the evidence found, hoping that relatives might recognize personal items among them. As of now, Mexico’s government records over 120,000 individuals missing in the country.
