59 bodies found in mass graves in northeastern Mexico

[News_Editor]

59 bodies found in mass graves in northeastern Mexico

2011-04-07 21:19:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- At least 59 bodies were found in mass graves on a ranch in Mexico's northern state of Tamaulipas near the U.S. border, authorities said Wednesday.

La Jornada newspaper reported that the bodies were found in eight mass graves in the town of San Fernando, the same place where 72 Central and South American immigrants were found in August of last year. Eleven people were arrested during the raid, while five hostages were freed.

Local authorities said they found the graves while investigating reports that passengers from a bus were kidnapped in late March. Forensic investigators have not confirmed yet if the bodies are the missing passengers or immigrants.

In mid-2010, members of Los Zetas cartel, who were blamed for the killings of the 72 immigrants, took control of the town of San Fernando. They threatened people, burned homes and businesses, and murdered businessmen, turning the place into a ghost town.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón condemned the violence and instructed the Interior Ministry to work with state authorities in an investigation. He also said the process of identifying victims must be accelerated.

"These reprehensible acts underline the cowardice and the total lack of scruples of the criminal organizations, which generate violence in our country, particularly in the state of Tamaulipas," the office of the president said in a statement.

The National Commission on Human Rights launched a complaint and asked the office of the Attorney General to take precautionary measures to preserve evidence and ensure the identification of the bodies.

Earlier this week, the organization said more than 5,000 people have disappeared in the country since President Felipe Calderón began the fight against organized crime in December 2006. The figure includes victims of kidnapping and economic migrants whose whereabouts are unknown, yet it doesn't differentiate between forced disappearances and missing person cases.

On Wednesday, thousands of people participated in marches in 24 states to repudiate the government's anti-crime strategy and the increasing violence in the country. The protests were led by poet Javier Sicilia, who demanded justice for the murder of his son.

More than 30,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006 in Mexico.

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