Authorities have formally reported six fatalities and 13 injuries as a result of an alleged drug cartel-led drone attack on a remote community in southern Mexico.
The Guerrero State Prosecutor’s Office released an official statement, revealing that their investigation uncovered charred skeletal remains in a vehicle that had been incinerated during the examination of the incident in Buenavista de los Hurtado.
On Friday, a regional human rights organization initially claimed that the remote community of Buenavista de los Hurtado, situated in the mountainous region of Guerrero, had experienced an assault the previous day.
Drones, Gunmen Linked to La Familia Michoacana
Drones and gunmen allegedly associated with the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel carried out the attack.
Six individuals who sustained injuries sought medical assistance in the neighboring Tetela del Rio, as reported by the Rev. José Filiberto Velázquez, a priest and the director of the Minerva Bello Center, the organization that initially reported the alleged drone attack.
Upon arriving in Buenavista alongside soldiers and state prosecutor’s office agents, Velázquez confirmed the discovery of a burned vehicle.
He shared a video depicting the charred vehicle containing apparent human remains, which locals later removed for burial.
The state prosecutor’s office extended an offer to collect complaints from the families of victims and conduct genetic testing for identity confirmation, but this offer was reportedly declined.
Interviews with residents did not reveal additional crimes, such as forced disappearances or injuries resulting from the attack, according to the official statement.
La Familia Michoacana vs. Rival Faction Los Tlacos
The clash was attributed to a confrontation between La Familia Michoacana and a rival criminal faction known as Los Tlacos.
Velázquez expressed concern about numerous community members missing, emphasizing his group’s longstanding warnings about the community being caught in the crossfire of feuding drug gangs.
Guerrero state spokesman René Posselt acknowledged the occurrence of a clash but rejected characterizing it as a targeted attack on the community. He suggested that evidence pointed to the violence being a conflict between organized crime groups.
Reports indicate that some victims displayed dismemberment, with at least one lacking a head. While Reuters could not independently verify the video, local media also released footage depicting what appeared to be the same burned truck and corpses.
The situation raises critical questions about the safety and security of the community, prompting further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the clash and its implications for the affected residents.