Comment By UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Liz Throssell On Discovery Of Human Remains On Ranch In Mexico

Geneva, 14 March 2025

The recent discovery in Mexico of burned human remains and hundreds of personal items, such as shoes and clothes, at a camp reportedly run by a drug cartel is a deeply disturbing reminder of the trauma of disappearances linked to organised crime across the country.

The clandestine camp, on a ranch in the state of Jalisco, was found by collectives of families searching for their missing loved ones. It was reportedly used by the “Jalisco New Generation Cartel” in the state to train young people who were forcibly recruited into this organisation with false job offers. They were subjected to harsh treatment and those who showed resistance or failed to meet the cartel’s demands were killed, consistent with the presence of bone fragments and charred human remains on the site.

The discovery is all the more disturbing given that this site had been previously raided as recently as September 2024 by the National Guard and the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office, without crucial evidence being detected. We note the commitment by federal and state authorities to examine potential omissions in the conduct of the initial search operation.

We call on the Mexican authorities to guarantee that there are thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into the crimes committed at the site, to strengthen efforts to identify the remains found there, and to enable the meaningful participation of families in search, investigation and accountability processes. Given the wider impact of disappearances across Mexico, we also urge the Government to enhance preventive measures and to ensure protection and support for the families of victims of disappearances in their search for truth, justice and reparations.

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