Guerrero has emerged as the epicentre of Mexico’s disappearance crisis, leading the country in the number of clandestine graves discovered, according to a recent report published by the Universidad Iberoamericana (Ibero).The coastal city of Acapulco sits at the forefront of this grim ranking, maintaining a top position in body exhumations across three consecutive presidential administrations—spanning the terms of Felipe Calderón, Enrique Peña Nieto, and Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The comprehensive study underscores that the problem in Guerrero transcends political parties and individual administrations, pointing to a persistent institutional collapse.Researchers noted that covert burial sites are no longer confined to isolated, rural terrain. Instead, clandestine graves are increasingly discovered near urban centers, private properties, and everyday public thoroughfares, forcing local populations to coexist directly with these sites of violence.
Experts from Ibero emphasize that the logistics required to operate these burial sites reject the notion of simple, opportunistic crime. The scale, planning, and resources involved strongly point to complex criminal networks operating with systematic resources and likely state collusion. The report also draws a direct parallel between the prevalence of these mass graves and rising rates of feminicidal violence in the region.
Contrary to official narratives claiming forced disappearances belong to the past, lead researchers insist that state-involved disappearances remain an ongoing reality. As human remains continue to surface across the state’s landscape, community search collectives face overwhelming challenges, compounded by a local forensic system struggling under an immense backlog of unexamined bodies. The report’s title reflects a sobering sentiment shared by investigators and grieving families alike: despite efforts to conceal atrocities, “the earth itself refuses to be an accomplice to these crimes.”
Source: Sur Acapulco
