2011 San Fernando massacre
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The 2011 San Fernando massacre, also known as the second massacre of San Fernando, was the mass murder of 193 people by
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
drug cartel at La Joya ranch in the municipality of
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
,
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
, Mexico in March 2011. Authorities investigating the massacre reported numerous hijackings of passenger buses on
Mexican Federal Highway 101 Federal Highway 101 ( es, Carretera Federal 101, Fed. 101) connects Matamoros, Tamaulipas, to Fed. 80 in San Luis Potosí. It passes through Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, and Tula. The route traverses the Sierra Madre Ori ...
in San Fernando, and the kidnapped victims were later killed and buried in 47 clandestine mass graves. The investigations began immediately after several suitcases and other baggage went unclaimed in
Reynosa Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality. The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Metr ...
and
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
. On 6 April 2011, Mexican authorities exhumed 59 corpses from eight mass graves. By 7 June 2011, after a series of multiple excavations, a total of 193 bodies were exhumed from mass graves in San Fernando. Reports mentioned that female kidnapping victims were raped and able-bodied male kidnapping victims were forced to fight to the death with other hostages, where they were given knives, hammers, machetes and clubs to find recruits who were willing to kill for their lives. In the blood sport, the survivor was recruited as a hitman for
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
; those who did not survive were buried in a clandestine gravesite. After the massacre, thousands of citizens from San Fernando fled to other parts of Mexico and to the US. The
Mexican government The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the republi ...
responded by sending 650 soldiers to San Fernando and establishing a military base in the municipality. The troops took over the duties of the police force in the city and worked on social programs. In addition, a total of 82 Zeta members were arrested by 23 August 2011. In 2012 tranquility slowly returned to the city, along with the inhabitants who fled because of the violence. Mexican authorities are not certain why
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
decided to abduct people from buses, and then torture, murder and bury them. They speculate that the Zetas may have forcibly recruited the passengers as foot soldiers for the organization, intending to hold them for ransom or extort them before they crossed into the US. Some killers, however, confessed that they abducted and killed the passengers because they feared their rivals, the Gulf Cartel, were getting reinforcements from other states. One of the leaders confessed that
Heriberto Lazcano Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano (25 December 1974 – 7 October 2012), commonly referred to by his aliases Z-3 and El Lazca, was a Mexican drug lord and the leader of Los Zetas drug cartel. He was one of the most-wanted Mexican drug lords. Lazcano ...
, the supreme leader of Los Zetas, had ordered the investigation of all buses coming in through San Fernando; those "who had nothing to do with it were freed. But those that did, they were killed." In addition, the killers claimed to have investigated passengers' cellphones and text messages to determine if they were involved with the Gulf Cartel or not, and that they were particularly worried about buses coming in from the states of
Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
and
Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
, two strongholds of the rival
La Familia ''La familia'', (English: ''The Family'') is a 1969 Mexican telenovela produced by Televisa and originally transmitted by Telesistema Mexicano. Cast *Virginia Gutiérrez *Jorge Lavat *Irma Lozano *Enrique Aguilar Enrique Aguilar Zermeño ( ...
and the
Sinaloa Cartel The Sinaloa Cartel ( es, link=no, Cártel de Sinaloa), also known as the CDS, the Guzmán-Loera Organization, the Pacific Cartel, the Federation and the Blood Alliance, is a large, international organized crime syndicate that specializes in il ...
s.


Background

In early 2010,
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
broke apart from the Gulf Cartel and both organizations turned their weapons against each other. The first clash between the groups happened in
Reynosa Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality. The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Metr ...
, then expanded to
Nuevo Laredo Nuevo Laredo () is a city in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Rio Grande, across from Laredo, United States. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Lare ...
and Matamoros. The war spread throughout 11 of Tamaulipas' municipalities, 9 of which border
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, and soon thereafter spread to Tamaulipas' neighboring states:
Nuevo León Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With a ...
and
Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
. In the midst of violence and panic, authorities and media initially attempted to downplay the situation. In
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
, Gulf Cartel forces led by
Antonio Cárdenas Guillén Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén (5 March 1962 – 5 November 2010), commonly referred to by his alias Tony Tormenta ("Tony Storm"), was a Mexican drug lord and co-leader of the Gulf Cartel, a drug trafficking organization based in Tamau ...
"strung the bodies of fallen Zetas and their associates from light poles." The Gulf Cartel lashed out to attack Los Zetas at their stronghold in San Fernando. According to '' The Monitor'', the municipality of San Fernando is a "virtual spiderweb" of dirt roads that connect with
Monterrey Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is anchor ...
, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, and Matamoros—making it a prized territory for drug traffickers. In August 2010,
Mexican Naval Infantry The Naval Infantry Corps ( es, Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina) are the naval infantry and amphibious infantry force of the Mexican Navy. The main task of the ''Infantería de Marina'' is to guarantee the maritime security of the country's por ...
found 72 dead illegal immigrants—58 men and 14 women—in San Fernando, killed by Los Zetas for their failure to pay their ransom and their refusal to work for the cartel. An Ecuadorian survivor faked his death and made it up to a military checkpoint, and subsequently led authorities to the 72 dead inside a warehouse on a ranch. The massacre was internationally condemned.


Massacre

Between 24 and 29 March 2011, several public transportation buses that were heading to
Reynosa, Tamaulipas Reynosa () is a border city in the northern part of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. It is also the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality. The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen Met ...
, were hijacked in
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
. On 6 April 2011 Mexican authorities found 59 bodies in eight clandestine mass graves in
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
. This discovery led officials to acknowledge that the Mexican drug cartels had begun to inflict fear through a new modus operandi: "stopping buses and removing passengers, some never to be seen again." Two weeks before the bodies were found, there were reports of buses being hijacked by the cartels near San Fernando, where cartel members would "stop the bus, select passengers, take them hostage." Fourteen cartel members were arrested too. By 8 April 2011, the secretary general of Tamaulipas, Morelos Jaime Canseco, confirmed the finding of 13 more bodies, increasing the body count to 72. When the death toll reached 72, bus lines in
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
refused to take people to San Fernando until the situation was resolved. Investigators began to mention that those killed were not migrants (like the previous massacre of the 72 migrants in 2010), but "fellow Mexican citizens." On 10 April 2011, in four other mass graves, 16 more bodies were exhumed, increasing the death toll to 88. Witnesses then reported that cartel members had stopped the bus at a fake
military checkpoint Civilian checkpoints or security checkpoints are distinguishable from border or frontier checkpoints in that they are erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary control. Civilian checkpoints have been employed w ...
, and that they had ordered the passengers to "pay up to $300 US dollars" for them to continue on their route. The investigation continued, and on 12 April 2011 the Mexican military confirmed the finding of 28 more bodies, upping the death toll to 116 and the mass graves up to 15. It was then proven by the PGR that the massacre was carried out by
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
, a drug trafficking organization formed originally by former military soldiers in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. By 13 April the authorities found six more bodies, making the death toll 122. The next day, on 14 April, 12 more mass graves were found with 23 bodies, and the body count reached 145. Investigators mentioned that the bodies had been deceased for between "one and two months." Also, 16 police officers from San Fernando were arrested for allegedly serving as accomplices to members of
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
in the slayings. On 21 April 2011 authorities found 32 more bodies in eight other mass graves; the death toll went up to 177. Five days later, on 26 April, the body count reached 183, and the mass graves found now numbered over 40. Seventy-four suspected killers had been captured too. By this date only two of the 183 bodies found had been "fully identified" by authorities, and around 120 bodies were sent to
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
for identification. Finally, on 7 June 2011, the bodies found in clandestine mass graves in the municipality of
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
, stopped at 193 corpses. One
US citizen Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
was killed in the massacre.


Gladiator-like killings

''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' journalist Dane Schiller interviewed an alleged cartel member, who explained Los Zetas had been using an "ancient Roman gladiator blood sport" to groom new assassins and to find recruits for their organization. The kidnapped victims were forced to fight to the death with other victims. Men were given knives, hammers and machetes, and were ordered at gunpoint to fight for their lives like a "gladiator-style contest." The winners were ordered to go on suicide missions and shoot at rival drug cartel members elsewhere. The dead were buried in mass graves. Almost all the corpses found in the mass graves had evidence of "blunt force trauma." A cartel member on trial in
Laredo, Texas Laredo ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Laredo has the distinction of flying seven flags (the flag of t ...
testified that the fighting contests between the kidnapped victims were ordered by
Miguel Treviño Morales Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales (born 18 November 1970), commonly referred to by his alias ''Z-40'', is a Mexican former drug lord and leader of the criminal organization known as Los Zetas. Considered a violent, resentful and dangerous crimin ...
, a high-ranking Zeta lieutenant, and that they were used to make the killers "lose their fear." In addition, he mentioned that 100 Zeta recruits were being trained in
Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...
, and 300 more in
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
in January 2012.


Federal Highway 101

Mexican Federal Highway 101 Federal Highway 101 ( es, Carretera Federal 101, Fed. 101) connects Matamoros, Tamaulipas, to Fed. 80 in San Luis Potosí. It passes through Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, and Tula. The route traverses the Sierra Madre Ori ...
, which extends from the border city of Matamoros, to the capital of the state,
Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...
, is known by local residents as the "Highway of Death." Those who traveled through this highway in 2010 and 2011 used to see "burned vehicles, bullet-shot trucks on the side of the road, and dead bodies, often decapitated, that the cartels would leave behind." Others who have traveled through this highway and have survived car hijackings and checkpoints the organized crime groups have installed from Padilla to
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
have reported what happens on the highway. A survivor saw "four SUVs, all grey and with tinted windows," adding that "everyone was armed." The violence and constant car hijackings were so bad that bus lines avoided Highway 101 by driving miles out of their way. Another survivor stated that heavily armed men would stop buses at roadblocks, and then force women and young girls at gunpoint, "strip them naked, rape them," and then drive away in trucks, leaving the passengers traumatized. One bus driver, "who said he had avoided being stopped thus far," claimed that another bus driver at the station had said that 12 people were pulled off the bus just 30 minutes before him. Other witnesses claim that once the buses were stopped, gunmen would storm the bus and point at certain passengers and say "you, you're coming down," and take them at gunpoint. The buses were then ordered to leave. Highway 101 is the biggest and most important transportation system in the state of Tamaulipas, and it connects the state with Matamoros and Texas with the rest of Tamaulipas. Local residents mention that there is only traffic on this highway during daylight. , they mention that the cartels "still kill people in San Fernando." The US has issued travel warnings south of the border.


Unconfirmed higher death toll

On 17 June 2011,
federal police A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...
captured Édgar Huerta Montiel, a high-ranking boss in Los Zetas and the man responsible for the killing of 72 migrants in 2010. He confessed during interrogation that "more than 600 bodies" were buried in clandestine mass graves near San Fernando, unconfirmed by Mexican authorities. Isabel Miranda de Wallace of "Stop the Kidnappings" suspects that the mass graves in
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
contain more than 500 dead, but that the government of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
has not released such information because of the political troubles it may instigate.


Aftermath


Arrests

On 17 April 2011, in the capital city of
Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...
, Mexican authorities captured Martín Omar Estrada Luna, alias ''El Kilo'', lieutenant boss of
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
in
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
, and responsible for at least 217 killings in that locality. Along with ''El Kilo'', 11 additional Zeta gunmen were apprehended. They were linked to the killing of a policeman and an investigator who were covering the massacres. In addition, Estrada Luna was one of the masterminds of the massacre of the 72 migrants and of the mass graves found. He was regarded by the
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
as "one of the most aggressive leaders in
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
organization."
Federal Police A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...
captured Édgar Huerta Montiel, alias ''El Wache'', a high-ranking lieutenant of
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
and the man responsible for the killings of the 72 immigrants, on 17 June 2011 in
Fresnillo, Zacatecas Fresnillo (/fres'nijo/), founded in 1554 by Francisco de Ibarra, is the second largest city in Zacatecas state, north central Mexico and the seat of Fresnillo municipality. As a rail and highway junction, Fresnillo is the center of a rich mining ...
. Huerta Montiel was an army deserter before joining
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
. Other Zeta lieutenants, like Abraham Barrios Caporal, alias ''El Erasmo'', were captured on 30 June 2011. The PGR offered up to $15 million for information leading to the capture of those responsible. In addition, the PGR led the investigation and as of August 2011, 82 people had been arrested. Some of those arrested were minors under the age of 18. Top-Zeta leaders responsible for the attacks have also been arrested: Salvador Alfonso Martínez Escobedo, alias ''La Ardilla'', was captured in late 2012 and
Miguel Treviño Morales Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales (born 18 November 1970), commonly referred to by his alias ''Z-40'', is a Mexican former drug lord and leader of the criminal organization known as Los Zetas. Considered a violent, resentful and dangerous crimin ...
, ''Commander 40'', was arrested on 15 July 2013. One Zeta leader accused of involvement was still on the run as of July 2013: Román Ricardo Palomo Rincones, alias ''El Coyote''.


Police implications

Marisela Morales, the former
Attorney General of Mexico The Attorney General of the Republic is the head of the Attorney General's Office (''Fiscalía General de la República, FGR''; prior to 2019, ''Procuraduría General de la República, PGR'') and the Federal Public Ministry of the Mexico, Unit ...
, mentioned in a communiqué on 13 April 2011 that 16 of those arrested were municipal police officers in San Fernando. According to the investigations, the policemen offered
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
"protection and help dthem cover up the killings." Former president of Mexico,
Felipe Calderón Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa (; born 18 August 1962) is a Mexican politician who served as the 63rd president of Mexico from 1 December 2006 to 30 November 2012 and Secretary of Energy during the presidency of Vicente Fox between 2003 a ...
, criticized the governors of the
Mexican states The states of Mexico are first-level administrative territorial entities of the country of Mexico, which is officially named United Mexican States. There are 32 federal entities in Mexico (31 states and the capital, Mexico City, as a separate ent ...
for failing to certify and regulate their police forces, who often aid criminal groups in their activities. Calderón condemned the fact that policemen kidnap civilians and then take them in their own police vehicles to the place where they are to be killed. The
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
then mentioned that although the government at a federal level is working to "clean up" the police forces, at state and municipal levels the improvements "have not been parallel." A judge ordered the imprisonment of all police officers implicated in the massacre on 18 April 2011.


Exodus in San Fernando

After the massacre of the 72 migrants, the discovery of the mass graves and the continuing violence between the Gulf Cartel and
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
, fear so overwhelmed the citizens of San Fernando that more than 10,000 of them left the city. The city's mayor, Tomás Gloria Requena, estimates that "around 10% of the population" left to "other towns and cities in Tamaulipas, and possibly to other parts of Mexico and the United States." A priest of San Fernando, however, noted that those who left the city were directly "threaten dby the organized crime groups," and that the arrival of the military has brought some of the tranquility the inhabitants of San Fernando wanted. The priest related that when he drove around the city to go to other parishes, "heavily armed men with ski-masks ordered imto stop and identify imself" They would let him go after he said he was a priest at a local church, but mentioned that "these risks happened to the whole population." Newspapers mention that
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
, "stayed without policemen," and the ones who were from that municipality were either arrested or assigned different functions. The government of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
believes that the "exodus of the citizens of San Fernando is transitory, and once order is re-established, the families will be back again." On 1 January 2012 the
SEDENA The Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA); es, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional is the government department responsible for managing Mexico's Army and Air Forces. Its head is the Secretary of National Defense who, like the co-equa ...
thanked the soldiers in San Fernando for bringing order and for "reverting the exodus of San Fernando, an unfortunate phenomenon that occurred due to the violence and the criminal groups that operated in the region."


Military-led responses and new base

In May 2011 the federal government sent more than 500 troops to
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
to combat the drug cartels in the area and work together with the state forces. In addition, retired soldiers were also called to voluntarily join in the fight against the organized crime groups. A military base was established in the municipality of
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
on 18 January 2012. The headquarters were inaugurated by
Egidio Torre Cantú Egidio Torre Cantú (born June 19, 1957 in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) who served as governor of Tamaulipas for the term 2011 through 2016. Personal life E ...
, the current governor of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
. The base hosts more than 650 military personnel. Below is the welcoming speech Torre Cantú gave to the soldiers on their arrival at
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
: On another note, the troops also worked on "social projects" throughout San Fernando; they provided medical care to the citizens, helped in the infrastructure of the city, provided free haircuts, helped repaint buildings and picked up trash. In November 2011 the military took over the responsibilities of the police in San Fernando, and now patrols the city, answers emergency calls of civilians, mans military checkpoints on highways, guards the municipal palace, investigates passenger buses and cars for drugs and other illegal goods and directs traffic. In addition, another military base was opened in the city of
Ciudad Mier, Tamaulipas Mier (), also known as ''El Paso del Cántaro'', is a city in Mier Municipality in Tamaulipas, located in northern Mexico near the Rio Grande, just south of Falcon Dam. It is northeast of Monterrey on Mexican Federal Highway 2. (26°28'N 99°1 ...
.


San Fernando after the massacres

Little by little, the people who left
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
, are slowly coming back to the city. However, the citizens still find themselves "scared," and they reportedly "mistrust foreigners." With the arrival of Mexican federal troops and the creation of the military base, San Fernando's social fabric and normality have been recovering. In the city square, one can now see "a pair of lovers, bootblacks at work, people walking in the streets, and kids having fun." Candy stores, restaurants, shoe stores, and other establishments have reopened. As of 2012 life in San Fernando appears to be calm, but once nightfall comes around, people are no longer in the streets. After 10:00 p.m. "San Fernando is a ghost town." The last bus departure from
Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...
or Matamoros to San Fernando is at 6:10 p.m.; before the violence, buses drove to San Fernando throughout the night. Taxi drivers used to wait for people arriving at San Fernando throughout all hours of the night, and now the last bus arrives at around 9:30 p.m., and everyone then closes their doors and goes home. In 2012 it had been more than three years since the city of San Fernando had a carnival dance; the
Ramón Ayala Ramón Covarrubias Garza (born December 8, 1945), known by his stage name Ramón Ayala, is a Mexican singer, composer and songwriter of Norteño music. Discography Studio albums (Ramón Ayala Y Sus Bravos Del Norte) * ''La Pura Maña'' (1971 ...
pub used to be the get-together place every weekend, and now it is closed. Other bars have also closed too, as well as the cinemas. According to Alberto Torres from '' El Universal'', the people of San Fernando are resentful toward the government, from the federal level to the state and local ones. For more than two years "they were abandoned and forgotten, left at their own luck, in the middle of a raging drug war." A resident recalls what he feels when people from other parts of Mexico hear he's from San Fernando: In addition, although the highways and dirt roads in
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
are sometimes the scenes of armed confrontations, as of February 2012 there have been "advancements" in the security situation of highways in the state. The PGR has not identified 159 of the 193 corpses exhumed as of April 2012.


Controversy


Tamaulipas as a failed state

The massacre of the 72 migrants, the mass graves with nearly 200 bodies, the assassination of the PRI candidate for state governor, Rodolfo Torre Cantú, the murder of two city mayors, the numerous prison breaks and killings, the escalating violence in Tamaulipas and the lack of media coverage, along with the political and police corruption, have brought analysts to conclude that
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
may in fact be or become a
failed state A failed state is a political body that has disintegrated to a point where basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government no longer function properly (see also fragile state and state collapse). A state can also fail if the go ...
. Manuel Suárez-Mier, economist and drug war expert, believes that Mexico and Tamaulipas are "not failed states," since their economies are projected to grow starting in 2010, and the security measures stand in "a phase of reconstruction."


See also

*
List of massacres in Mexico Massacres See also * Human rights in Mexico References {{Mexican Drug War Massacres Mexico * Massacres A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or ...
** 2011 Durango massacres ** 2011–2012 in the Mexican Drug War ** Coahuila mass graves ** Nuevo León mass graves


References


External links

*
Testimonios sobre San Fernando
nbsp;– '' El Universal''
Mexico's drug war: Shallow graves, deepening alarm
– ''
The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
''
Mass graves in Mexico reveal new levels of savagery
– ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' *
Tamaulipas huele a miedo, dan respiro a San Fernando
– ''
La Vanguardia ' (; , Spanish for "The Vanguard") is a Spanish daily newspaper, founded in 1881. It is printed in Spanish and, since 3 May 2011, also in Catalan (Spanish copy is automatically translated into Catalan). It has its headquarters in Barcelona and i ...
'' *
Tamaulipas: entregan sólo 12 de los 193 cadáveres a familiares
– ''
Expansion Expansion may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''L'Expansion'', a French monthly business magazine * ''Expansion'' (album), by American jazz pianist Dave Burrell, released in 2004 * ''Expansions'' (McCoy Tyner album), 1970 * ''Expansio ...
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:San Fernando Massacre, 2011 2011 murders in Mexico 21st-century mass murder in Mexico Hijacking History of Tamaulipas Kidnappings in Mexico March 2011 crimes March 2011 events in Mexico Mass murder in 2011 Massacres in 2011 Massacres in Mexico Battles of the Mexican drug war Organized crime events in Mexico Violent non-state actor incidents in Mexico Los Zetas