Human Remains Found In Mexican Desert
Juarez, Mexico — Mexican authorities said they have found several human remains in a desert area in Chihuahua near the Juarez-El Porvenir road.
El Porvenir is located across the border from Fort Hancock, Texas — which fans of the Shawshank Redemption may remember as being the place where Red (Morgan Freeman) crossed over into Mexico to meet Andy (Tim Robbins).
The remains, most of them thought to be men, were found during a search of the area Friday and Saturday. Authorities said the condition of the bones suggested that the people died about two years ago.
The remains were taken to a forensics lab to determine the cause of death, and to see whether any of the victims could be identified.
Officials did not say exactly how many remains were found. They did say, however, that clothing was also found near the remains.
Back in September, federal troops on patrol in the western state of Michoacan found seven mutilated bodies in what appeared to be a drug-related massacre. The bodies were dismembered and burned. A week before that, 17 bodies were found in the same area. That part of the state is home to a turf war between at least four drug cartels.
President Felipe Calderon — who currently wants to change the name of Mexico to… Mexico — has been deploying federal troops to combat the drug cartels since 2006.
In August, government figures put the death count in the drug wars at 47,515. However, activists and independent analysts said that number surpassed 60,000, with at least 10,000 more missing.
