Twelve bodies found in Guanajuato, Mexico during the latest cartel violence

The bodies were found within two hours in five locations in the city of Salamanca. (AFP photo)

CELAYA: Twelve bodies were found today in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, local authorities said, attributing the killings to disputes between organized crime groups.

Guanajuato, a booming industrial center that is also home to popular tourist destinations, is currently Mexico’s most violent state, according to official homicide statistics.

The 12 bodies were found within two hours in five locations in the city of Salamanca, according to the public prosecutor’s office, which is investigating the crime.

The victims – three women and nine men – were found on roads, bridges and avenues. Their bodies showed gunshot wounds and signs of torture, while one was dismembered.

The Public Prosecution Service also says that the perpetrators left messages in which a cartel claimed responsibility.

The bodies were found less than 24 hours after gunmen attacked a residential center for addicts in the same municipality, killing four people.

“This month of October started with very high crime rates here. That means that 16 people have been killed so far,” Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto told reporters.

But he said the violence hitting the city was “a temporary problem” that flared up “when one group decides to attack another group.”

In Guanajuato, two cartels, the Santa Rosa de Lima and the Jalisco New Generation, are currently at war.

Mexico has been hit by rising violence linked to organized crime and has recorded more than 450,000 murders since December 2006, when a controversial military anti-drug operation was launched.

New President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she will present her national security plan next Tuesday.