05/17/12 – The 49-person massacre in Nuevo León earlier this week seemed to be claimed by the Zetas, given the narco-banners left at the scene and graffiti tag that read “Z 100%” on a nearby wall. However, the Zetas have since tried to distance themselves from the killings by calling on the government to thoroughly investigate the crime before attributing the blame.
Two days after 49 decapitated and dismembered bodies were found in Cadereyta, Nuevo León, more narco-banners were found Tuesday hung from bridges in San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas, allegedly written by the Zetas. According to authorities, this time the messages indicated that the Zetas were not behind Sunday’s massacre, although the Zetas did claim responsibility for two massacres earlier this month–one in Tamaulipas where 14 bodies were found decapitated and 9 bodies hung from a bridge, and another in Guadalajara where 18 bodies were found packed inside a van.
An official from the Attorney General’s Office of San Luis Potosí (Procuraduría General de la Justicia del Estado, PGJE) who spoke of the new banners found Tuesday did not reveal the exact wording of the messages, only that the Zetas had denied responsibility for the recent killings and indicated that another rival group was behind the act. News reports have point out the possibility that the “Z 100%” graffiti found Sunday may have been tagged at the scene well before the bodies were dumped.
Authorities are still investigating the incident, however the recent mixed messages being sent, along with the severely mutilated state in which the bodies were found, complicate the matter as it makes it difficult to identify the victims and the perpetrators, thus delaying the investigation process.
Sources:
“Cartel de los Zetas niega estar destras de matanza en Mexico.” El Universal. May 15, 2012.
Redacción. “Se deslindan Zetas de masacre en NL.” Reforma. May 15, 2012.
“Zetas cartel ‘denies’ role in Mexico massacre.” Al Jazeera. May 16, 2012.
Pingback: Article analyzes ‘narco-propaganda’ in a month filled with such messages « Justice in Mexico