Mexico finds 19 charred bodies in vehicles near US border

Mexican authorities have opened an investigation following the discovery of 19 burned bodies in several vehicles in the town of Santa Anita, near the US border, the Tamaulipas prosecutor’s office said.

The victims are believed to be from Central America and were taken to a shelter run by members of an organized crime group in Tamaulipas state, Spanish news agency EFE reported, citing witnesses.

State police on Saturday found “two burned vehicles and the remains of people” on a rural road after being alerted by a citizen that a van was on fire, according to a statement from the prosecution.

“In one of the vans, there were two bodies on the front seats, another on the side of the driver’s door, one more on the side of the passenger’s door, and 15 bodies on the back of the vehicle.” , indicates the press release.

“The first investigations show that the death was caused by projectiles from firearms and that (the victims) were set on fire,” he added.

Cartels clash in a violent confrontation

Prosecutors said no shell casings were found in the area, indicating that the victims could have been killed elsewhere.

Citing witnesses, EFE reported that a group of armed men from the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), an offshoot of the Zetas crime syndicate – entered the area on Friday in search of the commander of rival Gulf Cartel ( CDG), the main criminal organization. which controls the Tamaulipas area.

The CDN located 19 people, presumably Guatemalans, murdering them before leaving their bodies on the border with neighboring state of Nuevo Leon, EFE reported.

CDG and CDN have been fighting for control of states in northeastern Mexico since March 2010. The conflict has left more than 15,000 people missing and thousands dead.

Mexico is experiencing a wave of violence linked to organized crime, especially the drug cartels fighting to get to the United States.

Since December 2006, when the federal government launched a controversial anti-drug operation, the country has recorded more than 300,000 violent deaths, mostly linked to criminal activity, according to state figures.