Workers Of Canadian Mining Company Dispute Mexican Authority's Claim That Killed Workers Were Mistaken For Opposing Cartel Faction

Colleagues of the workers of a Canadian mining company who were abducted and killed in Sinaloa disputed the claim of a top Mexican government official about the cause of the incident.

The bodies of at least five workers were found this week in mass graves, while the search for the remaining workers of Vizsla Silver Corp. continues.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said workers of Viszla Silver had been mistaken by cartel operatives for members of an opposing criminal organization.

Harfuch said the four people detained in connection with the killings belong to the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. They believed the miners were part of the Mayos, the other offset of the cartel with which they have been engaged in a turf war for over a year and a half now.

However, two other workers who requested anonymity told local outlet Reporte 100 Sonora that they were being threatened by cartels long before 10 colleagues were kidnapped.

"We had some encounters with criminal organizations. They literally told us: 'Please, leave, we can't guarantee your safety.'" he went on to say that he believes the incidents that followed were reprisals after workers failed to leave. "We'll give you a reason to stop working," the person claimed cartel operatives told them.

Miners went on to detail that they were under surveillance and frequently intercepted by suspicious vehicles. They could also spot drones flying over areas they explored. They further rejected the hypothesis saying workers were taken from their beds in a designated area for them. "They knew perfectly where they were going, who they were going for and they were taken from there, from their home," the worker added.

They added that government employees asked miners and their families not to discuss the case, arguing that experts in kidnapping were working on the case. "Some are being stalked and being harassed on WhatsApp. We're told not to talk because it can have consequences for our jobs."

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