CLICK HERE for High School Football Scores OAXACA, MEX - Nine bodies, believed to be missing students on vacation, were discovered dismembered on the side of a highway in Mexico earlier this week, according to local reports. Authorities said the remains of four women and five men were found in an abandoned Volkswagen Vento in San José Miahuatlán were reportedly missing before the discovery A tarp covering five bodies and a bag containing eight pairs of hands were found inside the vehicle with two additional hands located in the trunk They had been traveling to the beaches in Oaxaca to celebrate their graduation Officials have not confirmed the identities of the victims head of the State Attorney General’s Office said authorities would release further details once the investigation is complete Two of the victims were identified as women who had been reported missing in Oaxaca on Feb was last seen traveling with Brenda Mariel Salas Moya in a Ford Fiesta with Yucatan plates Salas Moya was initially reported missing but was later found alive in Puebla was identified on Facebook by a city official from Tetla The missing individuals ranged in age from 19 to 30 and had all traveled to beaches in Oaxaca Authorities have not determined whether they knew each other View Past Issues indie web and mobile news platform with a local audience larger than all the San Angelo TV stations Advertising here can transform your business We understand that seeing some stories may be difficult for some readers Our goal as a news organization is to report on matters of public interest with accuracy and fairness While we recognize that certain stories can be sensitive or unsettling we are committed to providing transparent and factual reporting to keep our community informed If there are specific inaccuracies or additional context you believe would enhance the story, we encourage you to share those with us for consideration. We take our responsibility to the community seriously and strive to maintain a respectful dialogue with our audience. Contact us here We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. News stories, speeches, letters and notices Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports I grew up in San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, a municipality with more than 130 localities and marginalisation. More than 80% of the population have only completed basic education and almost 35% live in poverty.  As a result, I have seen many friends and family members migrate to the United States in search of a better life. Although at one point I thought about leaving, I decided to stay to improve the situation in my village. When I heard about the Chevening scholarships from a former Chevening scholar. Initially, I did not dare to apply because I thought that indigenous youth from a rural area would not have the same opportunity as others. So, I decided to apply 2 years later, because I wanted to prove to myself, my family and the scholarship coordinators that a person from a rural area can study at a university abroad with a prestigious scholarship. Applying for the Chevening scholarship can be intimidating. However, I am convinced that young people from rural areas have unique qualities that are beneficial for such schemes. We have the resilience and the will to keep improving. I kept working on many of my skills that seemed ordinary to me, but in the end, they helped me to get the scholarship. My leadership and teamwork skills were key to getting the scholarship. I developed these partly through the influence of my family, such as my father, who organised a football team in our town to keep children and young people away from drugs and alcohol, or my brother, who organises the largest running club in the municipality. The sense of community in my village is so important that even to learn English, my father paid a neighbour to teach me English after he had returned from the United States. I then took university classes, invested in private lessons and took advantage of digital platforms to reach the level of English I have today. In 2023 I managed to get the Chevening scholarship, move to the UK and study at one of the most renowned universities in the world. That is not the pinnacle of my dream, but a big step towards building a better society in my homeland. My plan is to return to Mexico and establish an organisation dedicated to social policy issues, helping the most vulnerable communities, such as Pochutla. Chevening represents for me the fulfilment of a dream, but also a valuable tool in this longer-term goal, allowing me to acquire knowledge and networks that will contribute significantly positively to my community. My success is the result of my tenacity, the support of my family and the mentors who accompanied me. Work and education are important, but in a country like Mexico you also need perseverance and courage. I would advise all young people to dare. Dare to dream bigger, dare to learn on their own, even if it takes time, and to dare to ask for help. There will always be someone willing to listen and give good advice. People like me have managed to get ahead, but we are still committed to creating a better society. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Hurricane Agatha weakened after it made landfall as a category 2 hurricane in La Redonda municipality of San Pedro Pochutla in Oaxaca on 30 May 2022 Winds of 165 km/h and waves of up to 6 metres were reported on the coast of Oaxaca Agatha is thought to be the strongest ever hurricane to make landfall in May in the eastern Pacific Mexico’s Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) issued warnings for heavy rain in the states of Oaxaca Santa María Huatulco in Oaxaca recorded 240 mm of rain in 24 hours to 31 May La Cangrejera in Veracruz 96 mm and Monclova in Campeche 90.4 mm announced on 31 May that 11 people are thought to have lost their lives in the storm with a further 32 people still missing or unaccounted for These are preliminary figures and are expected to change as the situation becomes clearer The governor said many of the fatalities were a result of flooding or landslides The worst affected areas include San Juan Ozolotepec Areas of Santa Maria Tonameca municipality were flooded after the Tonameca river overflowed Civil Protection in Oaxaca said levels of the Copalita River jumped rapidly in parts of San Miguel del Puerto municipality wind damage and landslides blocked several roads including the federal highway 175 which connects the Oaxaca coast with Veracruz At least 2 bridges have been severely damaged Damage to power infrastructure left over 200,000 people without electricity The remnants of Agatha moved northeast towards Veracruz state before dissipating The US National Hurricane Center warned that remnants of Agatha are expected to produce heavy rainfall across southeastern Mexico during the next day or two Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides are possible Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList The neighboring coastal municipalities of San Pedro Pochutla and Santa María Tonameca face a long road to recovery after they bore the brunt of Hurricane Agatha a Category 2 storm that made landfall in Oaxaca on Monday After assessing the situation in the former municipality local authorities reported that approximately 38,000 people suffered damage to their homes or other property which includes the coastal towns of Puerto Ángel and Zipolite is one of six municipalities where federal authorities have declared an extraordinary emergency situation In an emergency declaration application sent to President López Obrador and Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat Pochutla Mayor Saymi Adriana Pineda Velasco said the full extent of the damage Agatha caused to homes schools and churches had not yet been established She called for supplies including water, food, blankets, sleeping mats and medications to be sent to the municipality. Pochutla is one of several municipalities where the military is distributing aid but as is common in Mexico in the aftermath of disasters some communities say they have been neglected authorities reported that approximately 7,000 families in some 50 communities were affected by Agatha the most powerful hurricane to have made landfall in the Eastern Pacific in May Mayor César Ruíz Gutiérrez also requested an emergency and disaster declaration for his municipality It was not among the six municipalities for which the federal government made an emergency declaration The other five municipalities included in the declaration were Santa María Colotepec San Miguel del Puerto and San Pedro Huamelula The Oaxaca government has called for 26 municipalities to be declared disaster and emergency zones One Pochutla community devastated by the strong winds and heavy rain brought by Agatha is Zapotengo Roads into the community remain cut off and homes were rendered unlivable Powerful wind ripped sheet metal roofs off homes Electricity and water service was cut in the small community and residents say they haven’t received any assistance from authorities an approximately 60-year-old woman who shared a three-room home with 13 family members told Milenio that they lost all their belongings “I’m asking the federal government to help us because the truth is this is very painful very sad and the truth is sometimes I would prefer not to be here,” Cantera said — El Universal Oaxaca (@ElUniversalOax) May 31, 2022 “… [The hurricane] took the roof [of our home] all the appliances that we’ve bought bit by bit thanks to God,” she said Cantera told Milenio that she and her family have been sleeping outside next to their damaged home since Agatha struck because they have no way to get to a shelter we don’t have anywhere to sleep,” she said Another Zapotengo resident said that practically all her furniture was washed away by a raging creek my children and I managed to get out … in time because the creek was bearing down on us,” Zoila Velázquez said adding that her chickens were also washed away whose home was also inundated with water and mud Some Zapotengo residents claimed that Agatha was the most powerful hurricane of recent decades a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall near Puerto Ángel in October 1997 and claimed hundreds of lives About 30 kilometers west of Zapotengo is San Isidro del Palmar a community of about 1,000 people that was also ravaged by Hurricane Agatha “I think the eye of the hurricane arrived here because the wind and rain were very strong,” Óscar Ortiz “Sheet metal roofs and homes were completely destroyed a lot of homes were overwhelmed by water,” he said adding that some houses were flooded by as much as three meters of water was also cut off due to flooding and the damage Agatha caused to roads many of whom lost their homes and possessions told El Universal they weren’t told to evacuate before the hurricane arrived and complained that aid was taking too long to arrive Locals also said the damage caused by Agatha is greater than that produced by Pauline “Unfortunately we don’t have anywhere to live,” Ortiz said a group of women told El Universal that no supplies have arrived we don’t have food or water to drink There are small children and seniors in need who visited hurricane-ravaged communities on Thursday told El Universal that the army and the navy are the only authorities authorized to deliver aid and are doing so “in accordance with the protocols.” He said that authorities will respond to the damage in a gradual way and noted that the total number of victims has not yet been established which is aimed at saving lives and at the same time supplying what is essential … [for survival] The governor reported Friday morning that the hurricane death toll remained at nine – two fewer than previously reported – and that five people were missing With reports from El Universal and Milenio ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London He specializes in immigration policy and border security He has uncovered allegations of misconduct among border agents under investigation and exposed claims of abuse at ICE-run detention centers in the U.S He joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent He has covered the British Post Office scandal and the conflict between Israel and Hamas he studied Journalism in Edinburgh and then worked for STV News before moving to London in 2022 You can contact Billal at b.rahman@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content feared to be those of missing students vacationing in Mexican state of Oaxaca were discovered beside a highway on Sunday The remains were found inside and around an abandoned car according to El Financiero and Periodico Central A bag containing eight pairs of severed hands was also recovered Mexican Cartels are infamous for amputating hands of victims The bodies had bullet wounds and visible signs of torture The car was located in San José Miahuatlán ID cards found at the scene matched missing people Angie Lizeth Pérez García (L) and Angie Lizeth P.G. who was reported missing from Santa María Huatulco in Oaxaca on February 28 Others reported missing include Brenda Mariel N. Chilling CCTV footage captures the last known sighting of the group on February 24 The friends were seen driving along the Atlixcayotl highway near the town of Atlixco approximately 90 miles west of where the remains were later discovered The gruesome discovery of their bodies came on the same day that José Alfredo who had previously run for mayor in Oaxaca's Huatulco resort area 'That's what you get for being a thief,' NVI Noticias reported Authorities have not confirmed the discovery of the bodies is cartel-related; the manner of the killings could suggest criminal organizations were involved driven by the high stakes of drug trafficking and organized crime employs ruthless tactics—from mass executions and brutal dismemberments to widespread kidnappings—to assert their power Homicides in Mexico declined last year to the lowest level since 2016 according to preliminary 2023 official data a 6.7 percent decline on the 33,287 recorded in 2022 the head of Puebla's State Attorney General's Office but I cannot reveal them due to confidentiality All relevant investigations are being carried out When we have a response and the investigation is complete we will be in a position to provide more information." Investigations into the discovery remain ongoing Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Sign In Subscribe Now It’s been eight months since the Castlegar Fire Department said goodbye to Engine No 3 and sent it off to be delivered to San Pedro Pochutla Drivers from Firefighters Without Borders Canada set off on the journey and all went well until they reached the Mexico border In between the time that the engine left Castlegar and arrived at the border a Mexican law changed and new paperwork was required The engine — loaded with donated gear — had to be left in the custody of the Pharr Texas Fire Department while paper work was filed and arrangements were made READ MORE: Castlegar Fire Department donates engine to Mexican community People on both sides of the US/Mexico border rallied and worked together to get the engine to its new home — a small community in desperate need of fire equipment The local Rotary Club was tasked with the paperwork and fundraising to get the truck through the final leg of the journey On June 22 the engine finally reached its destination to the cheers of a waiting crowd The engine was paraded through the streets of Pochutla with lights and sirens blazing “I can’t believe how excited they were to receive a 30-year-old truck,” said Castlegar Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio “It was awesome to see that they are so excited to receive something that is no longer useful here “I plan to go see it some day,” concluded Lattanzio Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines The Castlegar Fire Department (CFD) said goodbye to Engine No The truck was picked up by Firefighters Without Borders Canada (FWBC) FWBC volunteers Derek Docherty and Brett Romanow will be driving the truck to its new home in San Pedro Pochutla The drivers plan to complete the over-5,000-km journey by Sunday 3 was recently retired due to Canadian regulations The 1987 Ford/Anderson served the department well for 30 years “I know it is going to a part of Mexico that is going to take full advantage of something like this,” said CFD fire chief Sam Lattanzio It is an awesome feeling to know that it is going to go and serve in an area for another 30 years.” CFD and Zellstoff Celgar also donated retired equipment including turnout gear it is going to a community … that there really isn’t a lot there,” said Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff to the FWBC drivers I would just like to say thank you and good luck on your journey.” it makes sense that it goes somewhere where it has another life,” added Chernoff It was an investment years ago but now it is an investment in a community in Mexico that really needs something.” “We are over the moon with this truck and all of the equipment and all of the hard work you guys have put into this,” said one of the FWBC representatives “Thanks for taking such good care of it over the years I don’t think they [the new owners] have any clue what is really coming to them but when we roll up into town I think they are just going to lose it — I think it is going to be amazing.” Gerry Rempel spent many years with Engine No 3 before he retired as fire chief a few months ago “I was here when it came to us new 30 years ago,” he said It has been involved in a lot of our serious fires since 1987.” Pochutla’s bomberos and the community that will now be its home See what triggers an intervention and how supply and logistics allow our teams to respond quickly Discover our governance and what it means to be an association Find a quick visual guide to our offices around the world Read through our annual financial and activity reports and find out about where our funds come from and how they are spent and plans on how we address issues like racism and reduce our carbon footprint ensuring our actions align with the highest ethical standards Visit this section to get in touch with our offices around the world Médecins Sans Frontières brings medical humanitarian assistance to victims of conflict and where MSF teams respond to different diseases around the world and the challenges we face in providing treatment Learn about the different contexts and situations in which MSF teams respond to provide care including war and natural disaster settings and how and why we adapt our activities to each Learn about our response and our work in depth on specific themes and events Médecins Sans Frontières provides medical humanitarian assistance to save lives and ease the suffering of people in crisis situations We set up the MSF Access Campaign in 1999 to push for access to diagnostic tests and vaccines for people in our programmes and beyond CRASH conducts and directs studies and analysis of MSF actions They participate in internal training sessions and assessment missions in the field UREPH (or Research Unit) aims to improve the way MSF projects are implemented in the field and to participate in critical thinking on humanitarian and medical action ARHP documents and reflects on the operational challenges and dilemmas faced by the MSF field teams MSF Analysis intends to stimulate reflection and debate on humanitarian topics organised around the themes of migration health policy and the environment in which aid operates This logistical and supply centre in Brussels provides storage of and delivers medical equipment logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions This supply and logistics centre in Bordeaux provides warehousing and delivery of medical equipment This logistical centre in Amsterdam purchases water-processing facilities and nutritional supplements BRAMU specialises in neglected tropical diseases This medical unit is based in Rio de Janeiro Our medical guidelines are based on scientific data collected from MSF’s experiences other renowned international medical institutions Providing epidemiological expertise to underpin our operations conducting research and training to support our goal of providing medical aid in areas where people are affected by conflict Evaluation Units have been established in Vienna assessing the potential and limitations of medical humanitarian action thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our medical humanitarian work MSF works with LGBTQI+ populations in many settings over the last 25-30 years LGBTQI+ people face healthcare disparities with limited access to care and higher disease rates than the general population The Luxembourg Operational Research (LuxOR) unit coordinates field research projects and operational research training and provides support for documentation activities and routine data collection The Intersectional Benchmarking Unit collects and analyses data about local labour markets in all locations where MSF employs people To upskill and provide training to locally-hired MSF staff in several countries MSF has created the MSF Academy for Healthcare and rules of humanitarian law in accessible and reader-friendly alphabetical entries The MSF Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff policy makers and academia to exchange ideas inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field The MSF Foundation aims to create a fertile arena for logistics and medical knowledge-sharing to meet the needs of MSF and the humanitarian sector as a whole non-profit drug research and development organisation that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases founded in 2003 by seven organisations from around the world Our digital portal dedicated to sharing the latest medical evidence from our humanitarian activities around the globe Noma is a preventable and treatable neglected disease but 90 per cent of people will die within the first two weeks of infection if they do not receive treatment The TIC is aiming to change how MSF works to better meet the evolving needs of our patients MSF's telemedicine hub aims to overcome geographic barriers for equitable the MSF Sweden Innovation Unit deploys a human-centered approach for promoting a culture of innovation within MSF The 43,000 inhabitants in San Pedro Pochutla and Mazunte have access to diagnosis and treatment for Chagas disease in primary healthcare facilities The Oaxaca Health Secretariat has initiated Chagas diagnosis and treatment activities in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for the disease After the arrival of rapid diagnosis tests and the first batch of medicines to treat the disease Health Secretariat staff are already diagnosing and the first patients identified have started the corresponding treatment 1,512 serological tests to diagnose the disease have been performed The first Chagas-positive patient was able to start treatment by late August “The doctor will be checking me on a weekly basis in order to follow up the treatment process,” he explains I have nothing.” Ubaldo is not scared because he knows that there is a cure and by receiving the 60-day treatment he requires his health will improve and he will be able to continue with his studies “The collaboration between MSF and the state and federal health authorities should help to overcome the current barriers that still exist in accessing Chagas treatment,” says Marc Bosch “This will enable to replicate similar initiatives in other areas in the country where Chagas is also endemic the more than 1.1 million people estimated to be infected in Mexico could be properly diagnosed and treated.” stemming from the collaboration between MSF the Oaxaca Health Secretariat and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS in Spanish) in the state seeks to develop a comprehensive healthcare model integrated within the health system ensuring diagnosis and treatment for people living with the disease Chagas prevalence is estimated to be between 4 and 12% of the population the project includes technical support by MSF staff to the staff working in the medical facilities in the area the supply of rapid diagnostic tests to Heath Units the donation of electrocardiography equipment and medicine (Benznidazole) to treat the patients MSF is offering technical support to the Vector Control Programme to eradicate the bug carrying the disease MSF is also undertaking community information and capacity building for health staff in preventing transmission from mothers to children and making safe transfusions chronic infection transmitted in one of the following ways: vectors (through the bite of triatomine bugs contaminated by the parasite); (blood and haemoderivative) transfusions; congenitally (mother-child) Between 30-40% of those infected with the disease enter the chronic phase and within a period of between 5 and 20 years after having contracted the infection end up developing cardiovascular (cardiomyopathies) or digestive (megavisceral) diseases Chagas disease is an endemic pathology in 21 countries in America where nearly 100 million people are estimated to be at risk of getting infected there are an estimated more than 1.1 million infected people most of whom have not had access to both diagnosis and the required treatment Every year there are over 7,700 new cases in the country Mexico and Oaxaca) account for more than 69% of reported Chagas cases nationwide Chagas mortality is directly related to pathologies developed during the chronic phase of the disease Between 2000 and 2012 there were 371 deaths reported in Mexico Some studies say the global mortality rate is estimated at 15,000 deaths every year Your donations pay for millions of consultations