By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
This morning, the Zacatecas authorities confirmed the discovery of ten corpses spread in public areas in the municipalities of Morelos, Pánuco and Sain Alto. Among the dead were former municipal officials, businessmen, and ranchers and merchants

According to local media, motorists reported finding four bodies hanging from a bridge over Federal Highway 54 in the municipality of Pánuco. Later, five more dead bodies were reported on the side of the same highway, but near Morelos municipality. The final corpse was found inside a bag in Sain Alto.

According to Rio Oaxaca, the victims were abducted in separate incidents before their bodies were later discovered on Saturday morning threatening narco messages signed by the Mayito Flaco faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Among the ten victims were the former mayor of Sombrerete and the secretary of Social Development for the Fresnillo municipal government. The dead also included a firefighter, cattle ranchers, construction contractors, and restaurant owners from several municipalities across Zacatecas.

Twitter user @Eco1_LVM posted a list of the victims:

  • Ignacio Castrejón Valdez, Mining Entrepreneur and former Mayor of Sombrerete
  • Fidel Alvarado de la Torre, Director of Social Development for the Fresnillo City Council
  • Jesús Gerardo Muñetón Hernández, Active Firefighter in Fresnillo
  • Andrés Vázquez Gurrola, Politician from Durango
  • Juan Carlos Berumen Guerrero, Owner of a bar in Fresnillo
  • Fernando Robles de la Torre, Construction and Mining Entrepreneur
  • José Armando Ledezma Campos, Mining and Water Trucking Entrepreneur
  • Armando Ledezma Aguirre, Mining and Water Transport Entrepreneur
  • Jesús Daniel Rivera Sandoval, Mining and Construction Entrepreneur
  • José Ángel Valdez Rivera, Cattle Rancher

The accompanying narco message reads:

“People be aware, stealing is not allowed!!”This happened to us because the government steals and blames others, diverting resources from State Corporations and organizations.They are making movies that SERVE and LENTITOS [slow ones/little slow ones]. You all know very well that these movies do not exist, gentlemen. Please stop making movies and crucifying innocent people if you don’t want us to expose you.”Night and day, we are watching you and your great work that has been done.” [Underlined in blue: “Se de la noche y de la Fracción…”]So that you and your great work that has been done give a good check with your local corporations in the most attentive way possible, giving confidence to trusted personnel.If that is the case, you will realize the reality so that it does not reach the news as a telephone scam and extortion because our organization robs and is totally false, Sir.

Sources: @AccesoZac Twitter, Latinus@rioaxaca