Mexico's shadowy past uncovered: Cartel's chilling extermination site
A horrifying "extermination camp" has been discovered in Mexico, believed to be linked to one of the country's most brutal drug cartels. This site has already drawn comparisons to Auschwitz. Among other things, a shocking letter was recently found there.
This "camp" is located on an abandoned ranch south of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city. Disturbing images have emerged online from this location, illustrating the tragic fate that has befallen hundreds of the cartel's victims.
According to "The Washington Post", over 110,000 people have gone missing in Mexico in recent years. Members of a Facebook group often conduct searches for the missing called "Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco" (Jalisco Search Warriors), comprising relatives of the victims. They stumbled upon these macabre traces.
Shocking discovery in Mexico
On 5 March 2025, a search team arrived at the abandoned ranch near La Estanzuela. They soon discovered three underground furnaces containing hundreds of fragments of human bones—skulls, fingers, and teeth. Everything indicates this place was used for mass executions and the burning of bodies, writes ladbible.com.
One photograph shows hundreds of pairs of shoes, which inevitably evokes images of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the personal belongings of Holocaust victims were left behind.
The association with Auschwitz is immediate, said Jose Ramon Cossio, former president of the Mexican Supreme Court, in a conversation with Aristegui Noticias Radio.
Among the items found, a love letter written in 2003 by Eduardo Lerma caused a great stir.
My love, if one day I don't return, I only ask that you remember how much I love you, he wrote.
These words today symbolise the tragedy faced by hundreds of families who have lost their loved ones in the brutal drug war.
The President of Mexico reacts
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, confirmed that federal investigative services have taken over the case.
She emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, acknowledging the distressing nature of the images. As Bloomberg reported, it is essential to understand the events that took place entirely before making any further judgments.
The case is highly controversial because in September 2024, the Mexican National Guard raided this facility and arrested 10 people, but subsequently, no further actions were taken. Only now, thanks to the efforts of the search group, has the truth come to light.
It remains unclear who is exactly behind the horrific acts. Reports from Mexico suggest it could be one of the country's largest cartels, the Jalisco New Generation.
