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Mexico: 5 Grupo Fugitivo musicians confirmed murdered, allegedly by drug traffickers

Local authorities had found 5 charred bodies with the characteristics of the missing artists. Hours later the tragedy was confirmed.

Integrantes del Grupo Fugitivo

Integrantes del Grupo FugitivoFacebook / Grupo Fugitivo

Sabrina Martin
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Mexican authorities confirmed that the five bodies found in Reynosa on Thursday are those of members of a musical group who were missing.

The burned bodies were in a property in the aforementioned city in the state of Tamaulipas, which is now being inspected to determine "the circumstances of how the members of the musical group Fugitivo were deprived of their lives," said regional prosecutor Irving Barrios.

Nine alleged members of the Gulf Cartel have been arrested in the case, reported Barrios.

Hours before the tragedy was confirmed, agents reported the discovery of completely burned human remains, which were taken to the Forensic Medical Service for DNA testing. The State Prosecutor's Office had anticipated that they could be the bodies of the musicians who disappeared on May 25 after playing at a local bar.

A disappearance surrounded by suspicion

The musicians - Francisco Javier Vázquez, Nemesio Antonio Durán, Livan Solís, Víctor Manuel Garza and José Francisco Morales - disappeared after playing at a bar in Reynosa. Days later, the van in which they were traveling was found in another neighborhood, with no signs of violence, but without the band's logos or the trailer where they were carrying their instruments.

Newspaper reports indicate that the group may have been tricked with a false invitation to play at another venue. They were allegedly summoned to an empty lot, where traces of blood were found, suggesting that they may have been the victims of an ambush.

The community demands answers

Tras conocerse el hallazgo de los cuerpos, familiares, amigos y seguidores de Grupo Fugitivo se reunieron en una iglesia de Reynosa para encender velas y rezar. 

The case has generated concern throughout the country. Tamaulipas is one of the states most affected by violence and disappearances in Mexico, and this new case once again highlights the lack of security and justice for many people.

Regional music and its link to organized crime in Mexico

In Mexico, some musicians in popular genres such as regional or norteño have been pressured or threatened by criminal groups to sing songs praising their leaders or their activities.

These songs, known as narcocorridos, often tell stories of power, violence and wealth linked to drug trafficking.
The phenomenon is not new, but continues to generate controversy. In April, a concert by singer Luis R. Conríquez, famous for performing this type of music, ended in chaos in the State of Mexico. The public reacted angrily when the artist announced that he could not sing narcocorridos due to an official order prohibiting the promotion of crime in public performances.

Another event in Guadalajara caused national controversy when images were projected on screen that paid homage to the leader of the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation, one of the most powerful criminal groups in the country.

These episodes reflect how music has also become a disputed terrain in regions affected by violence and the power of drug trafficking.
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