Guerrero state has become one of the most violent states in Mexico, with a recent viral video showing why, as alleged cartel gunmen were shown kicking the dead bodies of their victims gleefully before burning some of them.

The video of the supposed cartel gunmen desecrating the corpses of their victims surfaced on social media and soon became viral on Tuesday. The dead bodies were reportedly from members of a rival drug gang who were captured and killed before their bodies were kicked and burned during the video.

The video showed a "squad of whooping, cursing gunmen" in a mountainside as they stood over the bullet-ridden bodies of their rivals. They were then seen kicking and abusing these dead bodies repeatedly before stripping some of them before throwing them into an improvised pyre and setting the corpses on fire.

The dead gunmen reportedly made a last stand inside a low, circular pile of stone before they were surrounded and shot to death. The Associated Press noted that Mexican drug cartels are known to make videos of dead or captured gang members to intimidate or threaten their rivals.

The site of the killings was found in the remote mountain township of San Miguel Totolapan. Authorities found five charred bodies, with Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirming that, in total, 12 bodies have been found so far.

"It appears, pending further investigation, it was a confrontation between two criminal gangs," he said. While 12 bodies were found, the video showed the winning gang kicking and desecrating at least 15 bodies.

READ MORE: Mexico Army Kills 12 Alleged Cartel Gunmen in Deadly Shootout

Mexico Government Had Difficulty Accessing Mountain Site of Killings in Guerrero State

The video of the killings actually made the government send in soldiers to the remote location of the site where it happened, sending in police, soldiers, and forensic experts to the mountain community of Las Tunas to verify the reports.

However, CBS News confirmed that authorities had difficulties in communication and accessing the area, with prosecutors having to request the support of federal forces in launching their investigation.

Authorities also stated that the massacre had been the work of a local gang but did not mention which specific groups were involved. However, local media revealed that the victims may have belonged to the infamous Familia Michoacana cartel, while the gang desecrating their bodies were allegedly members of a gang known as the Tlacos.

Violence Has Crippled Parts of Guerrero State in Mexico

Guerrero is still reeling from a recent hurricane, and the ongoing gang violence happening there is not helping. According to Insight Crime, the ongoing turf battles between rival gangs have highlighted the multitude of factors driving insecurity in the region.

Several cities and municipalities of the state, such as Chilpancingo and Taxco de Alarcón, have been experiencing a rise in murders that are directed primarily at taxi and bus drivers. These killings have happened since the start of 2024, prompting many of them to halt transport services, thus crippling several areas.

These drivers were subjected to extortion, and those killed served as a warning to others to pay up or suffer the same consequences.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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