Mexico’s drug cartels have brought back a territorial organized crime tactic of hanging dead bodies to displace dominance in the area.
Nine half-naked and tortured bodies were found on Nov. 18., hanging from a bridge on a federal highway in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, according to a statement from the Zacatecas state public safety agency.
There was also a 10th body found nearby. All the victims were men and ages ranging from 21 to 42 years old.
"All are male victims whose bodies were transferred to the Forensic Medical Service for study to determine the cause of death and obtain more data to support their identification," the statement said.
Four drug cartels are fighting to control territory in Zacatecas including Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas and the Gulf cartel, along with local gangs.
Zacatecas connects the center and west side of Mexico to the U.S. border, which is a key territory to have control over for drug-trafficking transit.
Cartels will use rival cartels’ hitmen, drugs dealers and cartel spies, which are considered lower-level crime members, according to security experts. It has a meaning of dominance in the crime world, showing off that if expectations are not meant, then harsh tactics will be used.
“The pioneers in hanging bodies were the Zetas cartel during the war against the Sinaloa Cartel in Coahuila and Tamaulipas states around the '90s," said David Saucedo, a Mexico-based security analyst.
"The first meaning is to mark territory; it's a criminal language to say 'this is my territory and you can't get in, in the second place, it sends a tough message to rival cartels and authorities in which it suggests severe consequences if they don't follow the rules," Saucedo added.
The crime has left Zacatecas in a state of fear due to there being no police in the area. Cuauhtemoc Mayor Francisco Arcos released a message asking citizens to stay inside at night.
"I want to ask the population that if you don't have to leave at night, please don't, stay safe, take care of yourself and your families. … it is an invitation for you to take care of your own safety," Arcos said in a video posted on Twitter.
"We don't have local police, I will have the public security telephone, and I will be answering your calls," he added.
