Los Herrera Murders And Dismembers Two Villagers In Pantelhó, Chiapas

The victims, identified by locals as José and Manuel, were shot as they were returning from their fields.

Members of the criminal group Los Herrera, who operate in Pantelhó and Chenalhó, murdered two residents of the first municipality and dismembered them, local residents reported.

They stated that at around 8:30 in the morning on Wednesday, Los Herrera began the attack with gunfire against the population of San José Buena Vista Tercero, in Pantelhó.

Two residents identified as José and Manuel, from the El Roblar Chixotontic village, went to their cornfield and when they returned they attacked them with bullets.

They were immediately dragged away, cut off their hands, their throats, and removed their hearts. Both were desecrated as they’ve done before, as hitmen do, the complainants stated.

The authorities are accused of indifference.

As of midday on Thursday, they commented, the bodies haven’t been recovered because there are no safety conditions.

The National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) and the National Guard ‘didn’t want to enter the area; they were warned yesterday; that is why the murders were committed.

The victims’ relatives, they added, demand justice and that the bodies be recovered before that.

All of the aggressors live in the Fracción Tzanembolom town of Chenalhó and are involved with Los Herrera, they stated.

The Herreras have been fighting for power in Pantelhó since July 2021 with the self-defense group El Machete, one of whose two factions governs the municipality through a municipal council.

Pantelhó is the only municipality in Chiapas that doesn’t have elected authorities and due to the violence, elections weren’t held on June 2 or the extraordinary elections on August 25. The local Legislature must appoint a municipal council due to the lack of authority.

Sources: El Universal, La Masakr3