Mexican Government Confirms Breitbart Texas Report on Cartel Incineration Site — Five Years Later

Mexico’s federal government confirmed a Breitbart Texas reporting series from 2016, detailing the discovery of a Gulf Cartel clandestine crematorium near the border with Texas. Initially, authorities tried to downplay the findings by claiming the charred remains could not be differentiated between humans and animals.

In a new report by Mexico’s Elefante Blanco, the head for Mexico’s National Search Commission (CNB), Karla Quintana Osuna confirmed the discovery of a clandestine incineration site in the region known as La Bartolina. Authorities found more than 500 kilograms of ashes and charred bone fragments. According to Quintana, the Tamaulipas government first searched the area in 2017 and approximately two years ago, Mexico’s Attorney General along with the CNB took over the operation.

Breitbart Texas first reported on the discovery of the clandestine crematorium in April 2016 after Mexican authorities operating near La Bartolina discovered a large crematorium where the Gulf Cartel used 55-gallon drums to incinerate victims. Initial information indicated the site was fewer than 100 yards from the Texas border–but was actually seven miles from the Rio Grande.

In a follow-up story, Breitbart Texas interviewed a former Gulf Cartel hitman who provided details about the incineration process at the crematorium, known by them as “La Cocina.” The gunman claimed that a feared Gulf Cartel commander would take victims there for questioning. The victims would ultimately be killed, dismembered, and stuffed into metal drums so they could be incinerated. In subsequent stories, Breitbart Texas published videos which showed Gulf Cartel gunmen hacking bodies and incinerating their victims.

At the time, the Tamaulipas government issued a statement claiming they found charred bone fragments but they were not able to determine if they were from animals. The statement claimed that officials had not found mass graves or human bodies.

In their report, Elefante Blanco interviewed a member of an NGO that searches for missing cartel victims. The woman, identified only as “Maria,” claimed authorities had found more than 500 kilograms of human remains plus ID cards and documents, clothing, jewelry, and religious artifacts.

“At the Bartolina, wherever you step, there is a molar, a cervical, a rib, a mandible; we have found whole bodies, half bodies, complete cervical with the pelvis,” Maria said.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.