19 Bodies Found in Chiapas Amid Cartel Violence

(MEXICO CITY, July 2) Mexican officials are investigating a grisly scene in La Concordia, Chiapas, where they discovered 19 bodies after videos surfaced on social media showing a dumper truck filled with corpses. The victims, all male and clad in black tactical vests, were found in and around the truck, with most of the bodies inside and three on a nearby dirt track. All had been shot.

The Chiapas prosecutor’s office was alerted to a video on June 28, showing men identifying as members of the Sinaloa cartel displaying the bodies and claiming they were from a rival gang operating near the Guatemala-Mexico border. The next day, locals discovered the bodies and informed authorities. The victims were likely members of a group they identified as the “Chiapas and Guatemala cartel.”

The Mexican government has deployed the National Guard and army to the area, but locals feel abandoned, noting that cartels return as soon as federal forces leave.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attributed the violence to cartel activity, including drug and human trafficking. He promised a thorough investigation and increased security in Chiapas. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are embroiled in a turf war over lucrative smuggling routes, forcing many to flee their homes last January.