The recent discovery of human remains burned on a ranch in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, has rekindled the distressing issue of forced disappearances related to organized crime in the country. This situation has led the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN to express its concern, highlighting the seriousness of the human rights crisis in Mexico.
The ranch in question, allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was found by collectives of family members searching for their missing loved ones. Preliminary investigations indicate that this place would have operated as a recruitment center for young people, who, under inhuman conditions and false promises of employment, were subjected to mandatory training. According to testimonies, those who resisted or did not meet the cartel’s demands were killed, which explains the appearance of human remains and charred bones at the site.
It is alarming that the ranch had already been the subject of an operation by the National Guard and the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office in September 2024, without detecting the evidence found later. In light of this omission, UN spokesperson Liz Throssell called on authorities to review the performance of security forces during that initial intervention.
The High Commissioner’s Office has urged for thorough, independent, and impartial investigations into the crimes committed at the ranch. Additionally, it has emphasized the importance of involving the families of the victims in all search, investigation, and accountability processes. Furthermore, it has called on the Mexican government to implement more effective preventive measures and ensure the protection and necessary support for the affected families, who deserve to know the truth and obtain justice amidst this alarming crisis of disappearances.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish