Mexican Villagers Recount 22 Days of Captivity as Cartels Tighten Grip on Communities

Residents of a remote Mexican village have recounted the violence and intimidation they endured after being kidnapped by armed cartel members, describing how criminal groups use abductions, threats and forced recruitment to establish control over communities.

The victims were among eight residents abducted from El Balcón, a mountainous community in Guerrero state, southern Mexico, on September 24. Six of the survivors interviewed by the Associated Press said they spent most of 22 days in captivity, where they were beaten, threatened with execution and subjected to harsh conditions.

One elderly victim recalled being asked by his captors what kind of death he preferred, while a teenage survivor described his fear of being forced to become a gunman after hearing cartel members discuss sending captives to fight rival groups.

The villagers said they were held alongside a much larger group of captives. According to their accounts, a gunman referred to approximately 136 people when requesting food supplies for those being held. The figure has not been independently confirmed by Mexican authorities.

The abductions reportedly followed years of threats against El Balcón, a community of about 750 people known for sustainable forest management. Residents had resisted pressure to cooperate with criminal groups, and their forest resources and logging business were believed to be among the reasons the cartel wanted to take control of the area.

The attackers reportedly identified themselves as members of La Familia. A local priest and human rights advocate, Filiberto Velázquez, told the Associated Press that the group appeared intent on expanding its territory towards Mexico’s coast.

During captivity, the villagers said they were blindfolded, handcuffed and crowded into houses. They described being interrogated, accused of belonging to a rival cartel, beaten with rifle butts and kicked. Some were threatened with being burned alive, while hunger and thirst left others severely weakened.

The captives were also moved between locations whenever their captors received warnings about military operations. The survivors said more than 100 people were at times packed into small vehicles during these movements.

Residents of El Balcón mobilised to secure the victims’ release, using a community security network and drone surveillance to monitor suspicious movements. They also pressured authorities to intervene and provided information that could help locate the kidnapped residents.

The cartel released the 13-year-old grandson of one victim about a week after the abductions. Six other kidnapped men were later freed and located by the Mexican army on October 16, following what the military described as intelligence operations.

However, one of the eight abducted villagers remains missing. The survivors also raised concerns about the fate of the other people they said were being held with them, as authorities have not clarified whether they are searching for the more than 100 additional captives mentioned in the accounts.

Prosecutors in Guerrero are investigating the kidnappings. Velázquez has called for federal authorities to take over the case, citing the scale of the alleged captivity.

Although some residents have been reunited with their families, fear remains in El Balcón. Some villagers are considering leaving their homes, while soldiers continue to patrol the community.

The survivors’ accounts offer a glimpse into how organised criminal groups can exert influence beyond drug trafficking, using violence and forced recruitment to seize territory, exploit local resources and pressure residents into submission.