In brief
Authorities confirm that an abandoned ranch linked to a cartel has been misidentified as an extermination site, emphasizing no evidence supports claims of human cremations.
In a recent press conference, Mexico's Attorney General Alejandro Gertz discussed findings about an abandoned ranch in Teuchitlán, Jalisco, previously described by some groups searching for missing persons as an "extermination camp." The claims arose from various personal items and burned remains discovered at the site, yet Gertz clarified that the ranch was primarily used as a training hub for the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel.The attorney general revealed that while investigations confirmed the ranch's role in cartel operations, there was "not a single piece of evidence" to substantiate assertions of cremations on the premises. Gertz mentioned that authorities found some small bone fragments during the initial discovery of the site in September, but follow-up analyses, including studies conducted by a Mexico City university, showed that the temperature levels did not exceed 200 degrees Celsius. This temperature, he stated, is significantly lower than what is required for cremation, which demands heat exceeding 800 degrees Celsius.Earlier statements from Gertz indicated that while investigators had not found formal crematory facilities, some human remains exhibited signs of “traces of some type of cremation.” Additionally, Mexico's Security Minister, Omar García Harfuch, mentioned that testimony from a detained individual pointed to the cartel's violent practices, including the killing of trainees who resisted or attempted to escape.These discussions come amidst ongoing efforts by families of the disappeared to locate their loved ones, highlighting the ongoing struggle against organized crime and its devastating impact on communities in Mexico.
