“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
From January to August of this year, the Central Zone District Prosecutor’s Office issued a total of 34 missing person reports covering the municipalities of Aldama, Manuel Benavides, Coyame del Sotol, and Ojinaga; of these, only five individuals have been located.
July recorded the highest number of missing person reports in these municipalities—seven cases—according to the Coordination of Outlying Units of the Central Zone District Prosecutor’s Office.
Data provided by the agency indicates that four reports were filed in January; six were filed in February (with three individuals found alive); and four complaints were lodged in March (with one individual found alive).
April saw the same number of reports—four cases—while only one report was filed in May.
Meanwhile, June saw a total of three reports (with one individual found alive); July recorded seven missing person reports, making it the month with the highest incidence so far this year; and four cases were recorded in August.
Previously, Francisco Arturo Arizpe, coordinator of Outlying Units for the Central Zone Prosecutor’s Office, noted that the conflict between two organized crime groups—which have maintained a presence in the region for approximately two years—has led to an increase in missing person reports during that period.
Months ago, activist Gabino Gómez told *El Heraldo de Chihuahua* that a significant portion of the missing person reports in the Ojinaga-Aldama region are likely linked to the ongoing conflict between two criminal groups in the area. According to intelligence gathered by state and federal authorities, the La Línea group—aligned with the Juárez Cartel—and Los Cabrera—aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel—are reportedly involved in the conflict that has driven an increase in violence in the northeastern part of the state, and consequently, a rise in this type of report.
Source: El Heraldo de Chihuahua