Bodies of 5 university students found on remote road in Mexico as investigation launched
The victims, all young men, were found in a car in a rural area on the outskirts of Celaya, a city in Mexico that has witnessed a surge in drug cartel violence.
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The bodies of five university students were found stuffed in a vehicle on a dirt road in north-central Mexico.
The grim revelation was made at around 6.30pm on Monday when a distress call was made to 911, alerting authorities about the abandoned bodies on a desolate route.
Diego Sinhue Rodríguez, the governor of the state of Guanajuato, expressed shock and grief over the incident, pledging an "exhaustive" investigation.
In a tweet, he condemned the "cowardly" act and instructed state security institutions to launch a comprehensive operation, with the support of federal and municipal agencies, to reinforce security in the region and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.
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The victims, all young men, were found in a car in a rural area on the outskirts of Celaya, a city that has witnessed a surge in drug cartel violence in recent years.
The men were all students at a local university, the Latina University of Mexico.
In a statement, the university confirmed that all five were its students and announced the suspension of classes on Monday to mourn.
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The university's statement said: “The Latin University of Mexico deeply regrets the events and strongly condemns the violence that is exercised against everyone, particularly against our children and young people.”
Additionally, classes were suspended in solidarity with the families of the victims to accompany them in their grief.
While local media reported that the victims had been shot dead, prosecutors did not immediately confirm this information.
The incident follows a car bomb attack in Celaya in June, attributed to the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel.
The attack targeted law enforcement, resulting in the death of a National Guard officer.
Guanajuato has been a battleground for rival drug cartels, with the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel and the Jalisco cartel locked in a bloody turf war for control of the region.
The recent incident further underscores the escalating violence and challenges faced by authorities in maintaining law and order in the area.
As investigations unfold, the focus remains on bringing justice to the victims and their grieving families.
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