On Sunday, December 3, 2023, the bodies of five young men, believed to be students at the Latina University of Mexico, were discovered inside a vehicle on a dirt road on the outskirts of Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico. 

The vehicle was found in a region notorious for drug cartel violence. Initial reports suggest that the students suffered gunshot wounds, although this detail has not been officially verified by prosecutors.

The location of the grim discovery is in proximity to a local university and has since become the center of a significant investigation. Guanajuato’s governor, Diego Sinhue Rodríguez, has pledged a thorough investigation into the incident, emphasizing the need for exhaustive efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

This incident follows a violent episode in June in Celaya, where a car bomb, intended for law enforcement, detonated and killed a National Guard officer. The authorities linked this attack to the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a faction embroiled in a severe territorial battle with the Jalisco cartel for control over Guanajuato.

The discovery of the deceased students marks a continuation of the ongoing struggle with cartel-related violence in the region. As of now, the identities of the victims remain undisclosed by the authorities, and the investigation into the motive behind their deaths is ongoing. 

The conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima and Jalisco cartels has been a longstanding one, significantly escalating violence and insecurity across the state of Guanajuato.