Five Decapitated Bodies Found in Jalisco, Cartel Links Suspected

The decapitated bodies of five men have been discovered along a road in central Mexico, specifically in an area controlled by the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Authorities were alerted to the scene near Ojuelos in Jalisco state on Sunday morning after drivers reported seeing plastic bags containing the remains. Forensic experts are currently working to identify the victims.

The brutal nature of the murders and the public disposal of the bodies strongly suggest cartel involvement. National Guard troops also responded and found the remains wrapped in black plastic bags, according to a statement from the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office. The ages of the victims have not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway.

Official figures indicate that Jalisco has seen 1,415 homicides between January and September this year. Nationwide, Mexico grapples with one of the highest murder rates in the world, with over 30,000 fatalities annually.

This violence comes on the heels of last week’s assassination of Alejandro Arcos, a newly elected mayor in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, just days after taking office. President Claudia Sheinbaum, who was sworn in recently, has ruled out a return to the aggressive “war on drugs” tactics of previous administrations, instead proposing a strategy focused on intelligence gathering and addressing the root causes of violence—a plan dubbed “hugs not bullets” by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However, opposition leaders are calling for stronger measures against the drug gangs.

Since the Mexican government began deploying the military against cartels in 2006, the country has witnessed hundreds of thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of disappearances.