At least 26 gunmen robbed, shot, assaulted, and raped a team of volunteers that were trying to get emergency supplies to the victims affected by recent earthquakes in southern Mexico, church leaders claim.
The attack took place this week when a caravan of volunteers affiliated with the Catholic Church was traveling to Oaxaca to deliver aid to those impacted in the Chiapas region, Infobae reported.
According to Mexico’s Archdioceses, a team of 26 gunmen shot at the caravan, injuring some of the young men in the group; assaulted the others; and raped a young woman. The attackers also stole cell phones, the contents of the convoy, and approximately $40,000 Pesos ($2,200 dollars).
The earthquake that struck Chiapas and Oaxaca came days before a 7.1 event impacted Mexico City, killing at least 338 in the city and surrounding regions.
Soon after the Mexican church released the information on the attack, the Oaxaca government issued a statement claiming the incident actually occurred in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Oaxaca officials also claimed that no attack had been reported nor criminal complaints filed in connection with the case.
Mexico’s National Security Commission issued a statement claiming that the attack took place in the state of Puebla when a group of volunteers in three vehicles were returning from the state of Morelos, not Oaxaca. According to the Mexican federal government, one of the young men was shot–another beaten–but no sexual assaults were reported. The three vehicles the group was riding in were disabled by the gunmen. Mexican federal police officers took the victims to the city of Jalapa, Veracruz, for medical attention. The statement by the Mexican government revealed that the victims did not file any criminal complaints in connection with the case.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.