More Clandestine Graves Feared Near Cancún

Cancún — The Madres Buscadoras de Quintana Roo collective has warned that there could be more clandestine cemeteries between Cancún and Puerto Morelos, as two properties in the area have now been used to deposit human remains.

"We already had these suspicions, because these are spots that the drug trade was using to bury victims, unfortunately, and, well, unfortunately it has been confirmed once again. This is the second clandestine grave found in that area, and we do not rule out that there could be more there," commented María Dolores Patrón Pat, president of the Madres Buscadoras de Quintana Roo collective.

She recalled that the property recently located by the State Attorney General's Office, which served as a clandestine cemetery where skeletal remains were found, is in addition to another one found months earlier in Leona Vicario.

The interviewee stated that they hope authorities will continue the investigations to clarify what happened at this property, as well as to determine who the owners are.

Patrón Pat commented that following the discovery, personnel from the State Attorney General's Office contacted the collective to inform them they had found a clandestine grave containing skeletal remains. The organization is now waiting for the corresponding procedures to be carried out for the identification of the remains.

"We have to wait a few days to see if there is something similar in any of the case files, so they can inform us and we can notify the families to come forward for the recognition of a personal effect. So far we have not had more information; we know that process takes a little while, about three days more or less," she said.

She detailed that among the procedures the State Attorney General's Office forensics experts must carry out are obtaining the genetic profile results, as well as the washing and review of personal belongings. This is to be able to notify the collectives if anything corresponds with any of the missing persons case files they hold.