The recent discovery of human remains and personal belongings at Rancho Izaguirre has triggered urgent calls for investigative action from the United Nations, as it highlights the traumatic reality of disappearances linked to organized crime in Mexico. The ranch, located near Teuchitlán, Jalisco, was reportedly used by the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel for the brutal training of young recruits.
Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the findings as “a disturbing reminder of the trauma of disappearances linked to organized crime” during her statement released on March 14, 2025. The appeal for investigations is particularly pertinent; the ranch had been previously raided by Mexican authorities back in September 2024 without detecting any evidence of the alleged crimes.
Members of the Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco, having formed as a search collective last year amid rising violence, relied on anonymous tips from the public to lead them to this site. Raúl Servín García, one of the group's members who has been searching for his son since 2018, said, “People send us messages, and we have to go because we can’t live with the doubt.” They arrived at Rancho Izaguirre with about 40 people, equipped more with hope than certainty.
The ranch had seen confrontation six months prior, when the National Guard clashed with cartel gunmen. Despite this, the place showed no signs of having been properly secured; there were no police tape, seals, or locks, which made the group's search unusually unsettling but necessary.
Upon entering the ranch, the Guerreros Buscadores split up to inspect the three warehouses on site. Servín noted, “I found many bullet casings and other personal items like shoes and clothes.” Overall, they uncovered over 400 personal items, including backpacks, underscoring the ranch’s sinister past as a hub for criminal activity.
This heinous operation revealed by the Guerreros Buscadores is even more alarming because the ranch, under alleged cartel control, was deemed to have served as “a site of training and extermination.” The existence of multiple groups of bone remains found at the site correlates with accusations of forced recruitment. According to the Jalisco prosecutor’s office, there were six groups of bone fragments deposited across four locations within the ranch. Prosecutor Salvador González stated, “There is no evidence of criminal activity since October 2024 until the discovery by the searchers.” This statement ignited outrage among searchers who insist it’s incomprehensible the authorities overlooked such evidence.
Servín shared, “It’s heartbreaking. The investigators had walked the area and did not realize there were burned remains. We could see signs of disturbance.” The emotional toll of discovering the remains, particularly for those actively seeking their loved ones, was palpable. He expressed how the realization of finding burned remains of bodies—reduced to nothing—hit the group deeply, evoking not just personal grief but universal sorrow for all victims of violence.
Throssell stressed the necessity for thorough, independent, and transparent investigations on these crimes, urging local authorities to take more significant responsibility. The UN emphasized the importance of engaging victim families actively throughout this investigative process. According to her, it is urgent to “improve preventive measures” and safeguard the rights of families searching for justice.
The overall impact of disappearances remains dire across Mexico. Over 120,000 residents officially missing, with Jalisco registering more than 18,000 of these cases over the last six years. While the cartel's kidnappings and killings continue unabated, there are more than 52,000 unidentified bodies languishing without proper acknowledgment, confined to morgues.
The term “extermination site” is not new, but the recent surge of discoveries marks troubling trends echoing the legacy of violence. Historic cases—like Santiago Meza “El Pozolero,” who disposed of hundreds of bodies during his service to the Tijuana Cartel—illustrate long-standing patterns of brutality entrenched within these criminal organizations.
The desperate efforts of groups like Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco not only highlight tragedies but insist on demanding justice. Servín ended with resolve: “We want to eliminate the unease of people being buried around the ranch.” Their pursuit symbolizes hope against despair; the determination of families is unwavering as they continue to search for the truth, justice, and the return of their loved ones.