Hidden Horrors: Inside Mexico’s Shadowy Cartel Training Grounds

Two armed individuals in tactical gear in forest.

What was initially believed to be an “extermination camp” in Teuchitlan, Mexico, unveils a shocking reality as a cartel training ground, highlighting the harrowing human cost of the country’s drug war.

Key Takeaways

Three crematory ovens at the Izaguirre Ranch were used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for forced recruitment and cremation of victims.
Over 200 pairs of shoes and personal items found at the site indicate mass violence and disappearances.
Local police failed to reveal the full extent of the violence during their raid.
Federal investigators have taken over following suspected collusion by local authorities.
The discovery has led to nationwide protests demanding justice for missing persons.

Brutal Revelation at Izaguirre Ranch

At the Izaguirre Ranch in Jalisco, Mexico, police uncovered a site with three human crematory ovens, long believed to be an “extermination camp.” New findings have exposed its use by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for gruesome purposes like forced recruitment and torture. Victims resisting the recruitment were killed, cremated, and left without a trace.

In a shocking discovery, activists unearthed 200 pairs of shoes, clothing, and personal items at the ranch—testament to mass violence and disappearances. Families of the disappeared, searching desperately for their loved ones, are faced with these painful reminders of loss. Activists claim the discovery was long overdue, as such sites are not uncommon in the area.

Failings of Local Authorities

The scene revealed by local police this September was not fully disclosed, leading to significant public outcry. Activists have criticized local law enforcement for not exposing the complete scale of the horror. Investigations suggest possible collusion between local authorities and the cartels, leading to a federal takeover of the investigation by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Concerned about the federal investigation’s omissions, Federal Attorney General Alejandro Gertz criticized the local authorities’ handling of the case. Survivors have revealed the harrowing conditions and abuse suffered at the ranch, raising urgent questions about the integrity of prior investigations.

National Response and Protests

The uncovering of the ranch has ignited nationwide protests, rallying citizens across Mexico in cities like Jalisco, Mexico City, and Tijuana. Protesters demand action as the country grapples with its history of disappearances, emphasizing ongoing issues of oversight and negligence in tackling these crimes. The attention drawn promises new measures to confront and combat organized crime.

“People were desperate. They’d see the shoes and say: ‘Those look like the ones my missing relative was wearing when they disappeared,'” said Luz Toscano, a member of the Buscadores Guerreros de Jalisco Collective who first uncovered the site.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to fortify laws concerning missing persons, pledging no impunity in this investigation while also highlighting media politicization of the issue. The Jalisco region remains a cartel stronghold exacerbating the challenge of resolving nearly 15,000 disappearances in the region.