Updated: 30 Reported Massacred in Buenavista, Guerrero but LFM Gunmen Claim Only ‘Los Tlacos’ Killed

“Socalj,” “Char” and “Enojon” for Borderland Beat

In Buenavista de los Hurtado, a municipality of Heliodoro Castillo, Guerrero, La Familia Michoacana gunmen allegedly attacked a small town using bomb drones as the town came together to slaughter and roast a pig. Then, they gunned them down, leaving 30 dead, and only one survivor, who fled and reported the massacre.

However, recent social media posts claim that no women and children were killed, only rival criminal members of “Los Tlacos.” And they blame the ‘narco politicians’ in the region for supporting the criminal group and the misinformation.

A graphic video showing at least 6 dead men, displayed on top of a pickup truck was released by the LFM gunmen. Once Guerrero investigators arrived in the area, the Nissan truck from the video had been set ablaze.

The priest, also the director of a human rights group who first brought the alleged massacre of 30 civilians in a mountain town has revised his claim to the 9 bodies discovered at the torched pickup truck.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES & VIDEO BELOW!

According to a complaint from the Minerva Bello Victims Human Rights Center; Buenavista de Hurtado, in Heliodoro Castillo, was the scene of a massacre with 30 dead, including men, women, and children.

Buenavista de Hurtado is said to have a population of around 35 residents.

“Yesterday I received a communication from the community, which was being attacked by drones in the afternoon, and at night, they told me that it had been attacked by armed men.” Father José Filiberto Velázquez Florencio, priest, and the Director of Central Minerva Bello, a human rights group.

Hours later, Velázquez reported the worst: “All 30 people were murdered.”

La Jornada cites a “community police” spokesman from the area. He says two injured people from the first attack arrived and said they saw at least 9 bodies. But as the force mobilized, there were further drone bombs going off and many people missing.

The community of Helidoro Castillo, on the fringes of Tlacotepec, is caught in an escalating war between the La Familia Michoacana and the Jalisco New Generation cartels. The region has been plagued by cartel violence and drone bomb attacks recently.

Velázquez claimed he heard from the community around midday on Thursday, January 4, that La Familia Michoacana was launching “explosive devices” from drones. But communications from the community soon went dark.

Later in the night, he heard from local police, who said one survivor of the attack escaped and told them that after the drone attack armed men came to the community as residents were slaughtering a pig and that “they were being mowed down.”

The human rights leader also spoke to locals in nearby communities who said they heard the attack and were terrified the same could happen to them.

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“This is a conflict that has many communities terrified,” Velázquez said.

Velázquez said neither human rights groups nor authorities had been able to enter the small town due to its remoteness and the risks. Guerrero state prosecutors confirmed there had been a “violent act” in the town and that security forces were investigating the incident.

The activist told the media that the municipal president of Heliodoro Castillo, Serafín Landa, had already informed the State government and that subsequently there was no communication with the commissioner or anyone from that community.

“In the morning a meeting was held with the director of Government Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros to propose what the true solution will be because they have been insisting that the Base of Operations be installed. If that base of operations had been there, something else would have been,” declared Velázquez.

Guerrero Public Security Secretariat deployed security elements in the area today. However, there is no official confirmation about the murder of the 30 people or the drone attack. It is based on the information provided by the survivor.

Later in a television interview, government spokesman René Posselt Aguirre said that elements of the Army, the National Guard, and state forces have already arrived in the area and are gathering information to confirm that the attack occurred.

“We cannot say that the attack existed officially,” the official said.

Contradicting Social Media Posts

La Familia Michoacana, via social media, claims that the massacre of women and children is a lie. And stated that the local “community police” are actually Los Tlacos members.

It also states that Los Tlacos is led by Onésimo “Necho” Marquina Chapa and Salvador “El Chava” Alanís Trujillo, who had called on the state prosecutor and governor of Guerrero to support Los Tlacos and send state police to fight alongside them. Many similar groups started out primarily as autodefensa groups before evolving into rival criminal groups themselves.

Video of Dead Los Tlacos

A video was also released to show those ‘Los Tlacos’ members killed. At least 6 dead bodies were displayed, including a decapitated head on top of a shot-up truck setup for cartel gunmen. The bodies are all men, and dressed in fatigue-type outfits in line with gunmen, not civilians. The men recording, supposedly La Familia Michoacana members curse the dead rivals and call out “Mándenme Mas de Estos!”, or “Send me more of these!”

UPDATE 1/6/24

On Friday night, during a live broadcast on Facebook, Velázquez Florencio corrected the number of alleged victims during the attack and said that there were 5 people injured.

“Arriving here today, they have given us more data that is closer to reality: 5 people were injured, 3 in this community and another 2 in another community. They are being treated for their injuries. A video is circulating where some residents recognize that they are their relatives,” said the priest. He also stated that the whereabouts of 15 other inhabitants of that community are unknown.

In a new statement issued on Saturday, the Minerva Bello Center said that…”upon arriving at the community of Buenavista de los Hurtado, in the company of government security institutions, they found a burned-out vehicle, with an undetermined number of burned human bodies.”

At least 5 charred bodies were seen inside the truck, identifying the skulls among the ashes. The statement also updated that there were 6 survivors and an undetermined number of people whose whereabouts are still unknown.

Two other trucks, full of bullet holes were abandoned and stripped at the Guillermo Prieto Elementary School’s basketball court. The classrooms had several bullet holes in the walls and showed signs of fleeing.

The gunmen responsible also shared an additional video displaying over a dozen weapons laid on a pack mule; likely taken from the Los Tlacos gunmen they killed. A pair of anti-drone guns are seen; there has not been additional information on the alleged drone attacks on the town.

Guerrero state spokesman René Posselt confirmed there was a clash, but denied it was an attack aimed at the community. He said evidence suggested the violence was a conflict between organized crime groups.

Posselt said authorities were investigating a video that circulated on social media platforms Friday that purported to show Familia Michoacana members and bodies of a rival group known as Los Tlacos.

“This agency initiated an investigation file ex officio for the crime of intentional homicide against the person or persons found responsible to the detriment of five people,” mentions the statement issued on the afternoon of January 6.

Velázquez said the conflict between the groups had forced some 80 residents of Buenavista to abandon their homes and move to Tetela del Rio.

Posselt said some 170 soldiers, National Guard troopers, state police officers, and state prosecutor’s agents arrived in the area Friday afternoon to begin the investigation.