A Mexican soldier was killed in a training exercise in 2020, Mexico’s Human Rights Commission (CNDH) revealed.
The case took place during a training exercise in Baja California in November 2020. The CNDH got involved when surviving relatives filed a complaint because they were never informed about how the soldier died.
The investigation revealed that the soldier was taking part in a special forces exercise where he and four others were ordered to go into a bunker that was to be buried as part of a drill. Instructors then stood on top of the covered structure and posed for photographs. Leaders later helped four of the soldiers out but apparently forgot about the fifth comrade.
Later, one soldier returned to the bunker for a forgotten phone charger and found the fifth soldier unconscious, the CNDH revealed. Military officials rushed the soldier to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. A coroner concluded asphyxiation was the cause of death.
The CNDH claims the military was careless and violated the rights of the soldier and family. The NGO filed a recommendation to the head of Mexico’s Military, Luis Crescencio Sandoval, asking for and a military tribunal.
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.
“L.P. Contreras” from the Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report.