This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
On Thursday, Mexican authorities made a disturbing discovery in western Mexico, uncovering 19 bodies in a gruesome display of violence. The killings are a stark contrast to the years of gang activity that have seen perpetrators attempt to hide their hits, instead recalling the brutal tactics of the past.
According to Adrian Lopez, the attorney general for the state of Michoacan, nine bodies were found hanging from an overpass by their necks, while seven more were hacked and dumped on the nearby road. Three additional bodies, filled with gunshot wounds, lay further down the same road.
As Lopez spoke, the sound of ambulance sirens echoed in the distance, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of the violence. Initials on a banner near the hanged corpses indicated that the Jalisco drug cartel was responsible, with the killings serving as a warning to rival gang, the Viagras.
“Be a patriot, kill a Viagra,” read the banner in part, a chilling message that highlights the escalating violence in the region. Lopez warned locals to take precautions, but emphasized that residents should not alter their daily routines in light of the killings.
The practice of overt displays of murder, meant to intimidate police and rivals, was widespread from 2006 to 2012, during the height of the Mexican War on Drugs. The U.S. State Department considers the state of Michoacan a “do not travel” zone, the highest-level travel advisory, due to crime.
