The Mexican government is not maintaining records of the various cartel killing sites, crematoriums, and clandestine graves utilized by criminal groups throughout the nation. This lack of oversight indicates a deliberate effort by authorities to downplay the severity of violence that is intensified by rampant corruption within the system.
This move is part of a broader strategy to project an image of safety in Mexico. A recent investigation by a Mexican news outlet highlighted that no governmental body has data on the quantities of cartel killing fields, mass graves, or crematoriums.
As part of its inquiry, the outlet sought data from the Mexican Registry of Missing Persons, which operates under the Secretary of the Interior, as well as from the Mexican Attorney General’s Office.
The debate surrounding the number of slaughterhouses and mass graves arose just months following the discovery of a significant cartel slaughterhouse called Izaguirre Ranch. Earlier this year, activists searching for victims of the cartels unearthed numerous shoes and personal belongings associated with those who had disappeared, according to reports. The ranch was reportedly used for forced recruitment and training by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Following this revelation, the government aimed to downplay the situation, affirming that the site was merely a training facility and not a location for killings or incinerations.
According to reports, Izaguirre Ranch is not an isolated case. Between 2011 and 2025, there were 12 training centers and 17 camps linked to cartels across three states in Mexico. Furthermore, in 2023, the National Search Commission of Mexico erased a database that documented 5,676 cartel mass graves scattered throughout the country.
