Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

September 23, 2021

Remains in Desert Believed to be Kidnapped Yaqui of Bacum Pueblo









Photo 1: Family members hold photos of the missing. Photos 2, 3 and 4 are from the press conference of the Attorney General of Sonora today.


Sonora State Attorney General reports bodies found in desert appear to be Yaqui from Bacum Pueblo


By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

Attorney General Report in English and Espanol
Sept. 22, 2021

CHICHIQUELITE HILL, Sonora --  Six bodies found in the Sonoran desert are believed to be those of Yaqui from Bacum Pueblo who were kidnapped when they went for a cow for a traditional feast. There was no news of the other four Yaqui from Bacum who were kidnapped. The Attorney General in the State of Sonora, south of the Arizona border, released the information late today.

Family members of three of the men have identified some of the belongings found at the camp where the bodies were found in shallow graves at Chichiquelite Ranch in Cajeme municipality. Clothing, belt buckles, thread bracelets and a USB memory device were found.

When government criminal investigators approached the desert camp, heavily-armed men fired on them. The two assailants were shot and killed.

The Mexican government in Sonora has identified the armed camp as drug runners. However, with the collusion between the government, energy corporations and the cartels -- the truth may not be this simple, or obvious.

During today's press conference, Sonoran Attorney General Claudia Indira Contreras said that as
 a result of the investigations, last Sunday, September 19, personnel of the Ministerial Agency of Criminal Investigation (AMIC), of this Prosecutor's Office, were attacked with projectiles of large caliber weapons, specifically AK-47 and R-15, and were shot by two unidentified assailants in the vicinity of the Chichiquelite hill, where the agents located a makeshift camp.

When repelling the aggression, Claudia Indira Contreras continued, two unidentified assailants were killed in the vicinity of the Chichiquelite hill, where the agents located a makeshift camp with food and maps.

"The seizure of an AK-47 weapon, an AR-15 rifle, three .22 caliber rifles, percussion casings, two backpacks with tactical equipment, breastplates, a helmet and a Toyota Tacoma pickup vehicle with a theft report in Phoenix, in 2019," she listed.


Report from the Attorney General of Sonora today, Sept. 22, 2021
English and Espanol


SO FAR, RELATIVES OF THE MISSING PERSONS OF THE ORIGINAL #YAQUI PEOPLE RECOGNIZED, BEFORE THE #FGJE #SONORA OBJECTS AND CLOTHES OF THREE VICTIMS, OF THE SIX BODIES LOCATED IN THE #CHICHIQUELITE HILL.

ℹ️ A .22 caliber rifle, owned by a member of the Yaqui Traditional Guard, clothing, other items and objects were visually recognized by family members, after holding a meeting with Attorney General Claudia Indira Contreras.

ℹ️ Certainty of identification will be given to the families through DNA analysis results, Genetic comparative and other Forensic analyses, which are carried out at the Forensic Scientific Intelligence Laboratory (CIF).

ℹ️ On September 19, elements of the Ministerial Agency of Criminal Investigation (AMIC), of the Attorney General's Office of Justice of the State of Sonora (FGJE), made the discovery, after being attacked and shot two people in El Chichiquelite.

ℹ️ The discovery of skeletal remains was made, corresponding to six people, where clothing and various objects were secured, in addition to an AK-47 weapon, an AR-15 rifle, three .22 caliber rifles, percussion casings, two backpacks with tactical equipment, breastplates, a helmet and a Toyota Tacoma pick up vehicle with a theft report in Phoenix, in 2019.

"From the forensic analysis it is clear that the upper extremities or skulls do not show ballistic impact, so it is ruled out that they were inflicted by a coup de grace or firing squad. The probable cause of death will be known once the medical examinations are completed," said the Attorney General of Sonora.

"The truth is a right of the victims" assured Claudia Indira Contreras Córdova, so truthful information will always be offered based on scientific support and, thus, avoid jeopardizing the process of any investigation.

While announcing the progress of the search for 10 missing persons in Loma de Bácum, seven of them members of the Yaqui people, the Attorney General emphasized that she is in communication with the victims' relatives, with whom she held a meeting and identified objects and clothes of three of the victims.

"We maintain our commitment to offer truthful information, always based on the results of the scene processing and scientific support, avoiding, invariably, to put at risk the due process of the investigations", she asserted.

At the press conference, she was accompanied by Manuel Angel Barrios Macario, AMIC Commissioner General, Francisco Javier Dueñas Mercado, Deputy Prosecutor for Investigations, and Julian Gustavo Bustamante Perez, Deputy Prosecutor for Process Control of the FGJE Sonora.

Since July 15, immediately after the first complaint was received, personnel from the Attorney General's Office of the State of Sonora (FGJE) began the search for the persons and have been searching for them almost every day, said the Prosecutor.
The complaint was filed for the crime of illegal deprivation of liberty against Artemio, so the FGJE Sonora established an integral search strategy, which was intensified a day later due to the reports of the disappearances of Benjamin, Martin, Braulio, Fabian, Leocadio, Juan Justino, Eladio, Gustavo and Fabian.

Elements of the Ministerial Criminal Investigation Agency (AMIC) are participating with members of the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA), National Guard, Navy Secretariat (SEMAR), State Public Security Police (PESP), municipal police and members of the Yaqui Traditional Guard, she said.

In total there are 59 search operations, informed Claudia Indira Contreras, during 65 days where an extension of approximately 80 thousand hectares of land has been covered, in the polygon between the municipalities of Guaymas and Cajeme.
For this purpose, four routes were traced: Agua Caliente, El Coyote and El Pochote, Hornos, Buena Vista and Comuripa, Vícam, Casa Blanca and Tórim, and Estación Corral, El Chichiquelite and San Francisco, which covered 33 ranches and their surroundings, she explained.

"We have maintained contact with the indirect victims of the case, since we met in person with personnel from the Ministry of the Interior, the National and State Search Commission, the Armed Forces, Human Rights and this State Prosecutor's Office, with direct relatives of the missing persons, as well as with the governors of the original Yaqui people, to whom we listened and with their participation we traced the search routes," highlighted the Prosecutor. 

In this search process, she mentioned, clandestine landing strips, spaces to elaborate synthetic drugs, illegal communication antennas, weapons and vehicles have been secured, vehicles that transported two of the missing persons when they were deprived of their freedom.

As a result, more than 160 investigative actions have been carried out by the Trilogy, made up of agents of the Public Prosecutor's Office, AMIC elements and personnel from the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Police.

As a result of the investigations, she revealed, last Sunday, September 19, personnel of the Ministerial Agency of Criminal Investigation (AMIC), of this Prosecutor's Office, were attacked with projectiles of large caliber weapons, specifically AK-47 and R-15, and were shot by two unidentified assailants in the vicinity of the Chichiquelite hill, where the agents located a makeshift camp.

When repelling the aggression, Claudia Indira Contreras continued, two unidentified assailants were killed in the vicinity of the Chichiquelite hill, where the agents located a makeshift camp with food and maps.

"The seizure of an AK-47 weapon, an AR-15 rifle, three .22 caliber rifles, percussion casings, two backpacks with tactical equipment, breastplates, a helmet and a Toyota Tacoma pickup vehicle with a theft report in Phoenix, in 2019," she listed.

In addition, near the El Chichiquelite ranch, clues were found that made it possible for personnel from the Sonora Prosecutor's Office to locate skeletal remains at a shallow depth from the surface, she stated, which are being processed at the Forensic Scientific Intelligence Laboratory (CIF).

Prosecutor Contreras Cordova reported that samples have been taken from each remains for the search of the generic profile to, in due time, make the comparison with the relatives of the missing persons.

Expert personnel processed the place of the finding where clothing, belt buckles, handles or thread bracelets were found, and the progress made by the Forensic Archeologist and Geneticist shows that skeletal remains of six bodies have been found.

"From the forensic analysis it is clear that the upper extremities or skulls do not present ballistic impact, so it is discarded that they were shot or shot by firing squad, as erroneously it was handled in some digital media", she pointed out, "the probable cause of death will be known once the medical expert's reports are concluded".

Claudia Indira Contreras estimated that on September 25, the DNA profiles of the samples that are more viable for obtaining will be available and the genetic comparisons with the samples taken from the relatives of the disappeared will be able to be made.

This Wednesday, he indicated, direct relatives of the victims had access to the clothes secured in the place for their identification, but to consider the identification as conclusive it is necessary to have the scientific certainty.

At the Laboratory's facilities they recognized a .22 caliber rifle as property of one of the missing persons, as well as a USB memory stick, a bracelet and some clothes, which belong to two other persons, but the scientific analysis is still pending for the total identification of the bodies.

The steps to follow, said the Prosecutor in Sonora, is to maintain the processing of the place of the finding, for which there is the presence of elements of the three orders of government, because the evidence secured strengthens the investigation file.

"These actions make clear the firm purpose of justice for the indirect victims, for the original Yaqui people and for the people of Sonora. Finally, I call to inform with respect to the human dignity of the indirect victims of crime", concluded Claudia Indira Contreras.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator 

Yaqui marched for the disappeared during Sept. 2021





HASTA EL MOMENTO, FAMILIARES DE LAS PERSONAS DESAPARECIDAS DEL PUEBLO ORIGINARIO #YAQUI RECONOCIERON, ANTE LA #FGJE #SONORA OBJETOS Y PRENDAS DE TRES VÍCTIMAS, DE LOS SEIS CUERPOS LOCALIZADOS EN EL CERRO #CHICHIQUELITE
Un rifle calibre .22, propiedad de un integrante de la Guardia Tradicional Yaqui, ropa, otras prendas y objetos fueron reconocidas por familiares de manera visual, luego de sostener una reunión con la Fiscal General Claudia Indira Contreras.
Se dará certeza de identificación a las familias mediante resultados de análisis de ADN, comparativa Genética y otros análisis Forenses, que se realizan en el Laboratorio de Inteligencia Científica Forense (CIF).
El pasado 19 de septiembre, elementos de la Agencia Ministerial de Investigación Criminal (AMIC), de la Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de Sonora (FGJE), realizaron el hallazgo, tras ser agredidos y abatir a dos personas en El Chichiquelite.
Se realizó el hallazgo de restos óseos, que corresponden a seis personas, donde fueron aseguradas prendas y diversos objetos, además un arma AK-47, un rifle AR-15, tres rifles calibre .22, casquillos percutidos, dos mochilas con equipo táctico, pecheras, un casco y un vehículo pick up Toyota Tacoma con reporte de robo en Phoenix, en 2019.
“Del análisis forense se desprende que las extremidades superiores o cráneos no presentan impacto balístico, por lo que se descarta que les haya infringido un tiro de gracia o fusilamiento. La probable causa de muerte se conocerá una vez que concluyan los peritajes médicos”, aseveró la Fiscal General de Sonora.
Boletín Informativo
Hermosillo, Sonora, septiembre 22 de 2021.- “La verdad es un derecho de las víctimas” aseguró Claudia Indira Contreras Córdova, por lo que siempre se ofrecerá información veraz con base al sustento científico y, así, evitar poner en riesgo el proceso de toda investigación.
Al dar a conocer avances de las acciones de búsqueda de 10 personas desaparecidas en Loma de Bácum, siete de ellas integrantes del pueblo originario Yaqui, la Fiscal General recalcó que se está en comunicación con familiares de las víctimas, con quienes sostuvo una reunión e identificaron objetos y prendas de tres víctimas.
“Mantenemos el compromiso de ofrecer información veraz, basados siempre en los resultados del procesamiento de escenas y sustento científico, evitando, invariablemente, poner en riesgo el debido proceso de las investigaciones”, aseveró.
En rueda de prensa estuvo acompañada de Manuel Ángel Barrios Macario, Comisario General de AMIC, Francisco Javier Dueñas Mercado, Vicefiscal de Investigaciones, y por Julián Gustavo Bustamante Pérez, Vicefiscal de Control de Procesos, de la FGJE Sonora.
Desde el pasado 15 de julio, inmediatamente que se recibió la primera denuncia, personal de la Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de Sonora (FGJE) inició la búsqueda de las personas y que se han mantenido casi todos los días, comentó la Fiscal.
Se interpuso la denuncia por el delito de privación ilegal de la libertad en agravio de Artemio, por lo que la FGJE Sonora estableció una estrategia integral de búsqueda, que se intensificó un día después por las denuncias de las desapariciones de Benjamín, Martín, Braulio, Fabián, Leocadio, Juan Justino, Eladio, Gustavo y Fabián.
Participan elementos de la Agencia Ministerial de Investigación Criminal (AMIC) con efectivos de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (SEDENA), Guardia Nacional, Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR), Policía Estatal de Seguridad de Pública (PESP), policías municipales e integrantes de la Guardia Tradicional Yaqui, dijo.
En total van 59 operativos de búsqueda, informó Claudia Indira Contreras, durante 65 días donde se ha cubierto una extensión aproximada de 80 mil hectáreas de terreno, en el polígono comprendido entre los municipios de Guaymas y Cajeme.
Para ello se trazaron cuatro rutas, la de Agua Caliente, El Coyote y El Pochote, Hornos, Buena Vista y Comuripa, Vícam, Casa Blanca y Tórim, y Estación Corral, El Chichiquelite y San Francisco que abarcaron 33 ranchos y sus inmediaciones, explicó.
“Hemos mantenido contacto con las víctimas indirectas del caso, ya que nos reunimos de manera presencial personal de la Secretaría de Gobernación, Comisión Nacional y Estatal de Búsqueda, fuerzas armadas, Derechos Humanos y de esta Fiscalía estatal, con familiares directos de las personas desaparecidas, así como con los gobernadores del pueblo originario Yaqui, a quienes escuchamos y con su participación trazamos las rutas de búsqueda”, destacó la Fiscal.
En ese proceso de búsqueda, mencionó, se han asegurado pistas clandestinas de aterrizaje, espacios para elaborar droga sintética, antenas ilegales de comunicación, armas y vehículos, dos de las personas desaparecidas en los que se trasladaban cuando fueron privadas de su libertad.
Por lo cual se han realizado más de 160 actos de investigación por la Trilogía, conformada por Agente del Ministerio Público, elementos de la AMIC y personal de Servicios Periciales, quienes mantienen las indagatorias en todo momento, subrayó.
Derivado de las investigaciones, reveló, el pasado domingo 19 de septiembre personal de la Agencia Ministerial de Investigación Criminal (AMIC), de esta Fiscalía, fueron agredidos con proyectiles de armas de grueso calibre, AK-47 y R-15, específicamente.
Al repeler la agresión, continúo Claudia Indira Contreras, dos agresores no identificados fueron abatidos en las inmediaciones del cerro Chichiquelite, donde los agentes localizaron un campamento improvisado con víveres y mapas.
“Se realizó el aseguramiento de un arma AK-47, un rifle AR-15, tres rifles del calibre .22, casquillos percutidos, dos mochilas con equipo táctico, pecheras, un casco y un vehículo pick up Toyota Tacoma con reporte de robo en Phoenix, en 2019”, enumeró.
Además, cerca del rancho El Chichiquelite se encontraron indicios que hicieron posible que personal de la Fiscalía de Sonora pudiera localizar restos óseos a escasa profundidad de la superficie, declaró, los cuales son procesados en el Laboratorio de Inteligencia Científica Forense (CIF).
La Fiscal Contreras Córdova reportó que se han tomado muestras de cada resto para la búsqueda de perfil genérico para, en su momento, hacer la comparativa con los familiares de las personas desaparecidas.
Personal Pericial procesó el lugar del hallazgo donde se advierten vestimentas, hebillas de cintos, manillas o pulseras de hilo, y en el avance realizado, al momento, por el Arqueólogo Forense y Genetista arroja que se han encontrado restos óseos de seis cuerpos.
“Del análisis forense se desprende que las extremidades superiores o cráneos no presentan impacto balístico, por lo que se descarta que les haya infringido un tiro de gracia o fusilamiento, como erróneamente se manejó en algunos medios digitales”, apuntó, “la probable causa de muerte se conocerá una vez que concluyan los peritajes médicos”.
Claudia Indira Contreras estimó que se tendrán, el 25 de septiembre, los perfiles de ADN de muestras que resulten más viables para la obtención y se podrán realizar las comparativas de Genética con las muestras tomadas a familiares de los desaparecidos
Este miércoles, indicó, familiares directos de las víctimas tuvieron acceso a las prendas de vestir aseguradas en el lugar para su identificación, pero para considerar concluyente la identificación se debe tener la certeza científica.
En las instalaciones del Laboratorio realizaron el reconocimiento de un rifle calibre .22 como propiedad de uno de los desaparecidos, así como de una memoria USB, una pulsera y algunas prendas de vestir, que son de otras dos personas, pero siguen los análisis científicos para realizar la total identificación de los cuerpos.
Los pasos por seguir, adelantó la Fiscal en Sonora, es mantener el procesamiento del lugar del hallazgo, por lo que se tiene presencia de elementos de los tres órdenes de Gobierno, debido a que los indicios asegurados fortalecen la carpeta de investigación.
“Estas acciones dejan patente el firme propósito de justicia para las víctimas indirectas, para el pueblo originario Yaqui y para las y los sonorenses. Por último, hago un llamado a informar con respeto a la dignidad humana de las víctimas indirectas de delito”, finalizó Claudia Indira Contreras.

No comments: