Authorities have confirmed the identities of three employees from the Canadian mining company Vizsla Silver Corp, who were kidnapped on January 23 from a housing area near La Concordia. This location is situated approximately 250 kilometers southeast of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state. Tragically, their remains were discovered over the weekend in a mass grave in El Verde, a community located north of La Concordia.
The discovery of the bodies comes amid ongoing searches for the other seven individuals who were abducted alongside the three victims. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that several arrests have been made in connection with the kidnapping, stating that those detained are cooperating with prosecutors in the investigation.
The process of identifying the remains has posed challenges due to their advanced decomposition, prompting authorities to conduct specialized forensic tests. While official confirmations of the number of remains found have not been released, reports from groups like Madres Buscadoras de Sonora, an organization dedicated to locating missing persons, suggest that as many as 20 bodies may have been unearthed at the site. Unfortunately, their attempts to gain access to the morgue for identification purposes have been met with obstacles.
In a heartfelt statement, Vizsla Silver expressed its grief over the loss. Michael Konnert, the company’s president and CEO, conveyed condolences to the families of the victims, colleagues, and the La Concordia community, reaffirming the company’s commitment to aiding in the safe recovery of those still missing.
The confirmed victims have been named as José Ángel Hernández Velez, Ignacio Aurelio Salazar Flores, both engineers from Zacatecas, and José Manuel Castañeda Hernández, a geologist from Taxco, Guerrero. The national mining sector has joined in the mourning, extending sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced in regions impacted by violence and crime, and highlights the importance of community and government efforts in addressing such crises. The commitment from authorities to apprehend those responsible provides a glimmer of hope for justice in the face of such devastating circumstances.