Guerrero families report over 100 people kidnapped by criminal group

Families and human rights advocates in Guerrero, Mexico, are calling for urgent government intervention following reports that more than 100 people are being held captive by the criminal organization La Familia Michoacana.

According to Father Filiberto Velázquez, director of the Minerva Human Rights Center, testimonies from recently released captives suggest a large number of individuals are being held in the Sierra region. Some reports indicate as many as 136 victims may be in captivity, with many originating from Taxco and the ejido El Balcón in Ajuchitlán del Progreso.

Survivors have reported that victims are frequently moved between locations, including the Tierra Caliente region and the State of Mexico, to evade security forces. In Ajuchitlán del Progreso, six peasants who were kidnapped on September 24 were recently rescued by the army, but one individual, Domingo Atanacio Quirino, remains missing.

Activists, including Jazmín Huerta Acosta, have highlighted the difficulty of searching for loved ones due to the presence of criminal groups and the risk of encountering clandestine graves. The criminal group is also reportedly attempting to establish a base in El Balcón, leading to further kidnappings of local residents who resist their presence.