Daniel Picazo González left his home in Mexico City to visit his grandfather’s estate in a small town in the state of Puebla, as he had done several times before.
Home is in the town of Las Colonias de Hidalgo, about three hours from the Mexican capital, and as a 31-year-old man who loves to travel, it was something he enjoyed to spend his days amongst that community in the Sierra Norte mountains. . . .
This happened on June 9th. Picazo González said he arrived safe and sound to his parents, Ricardo Picazo and Angélica González.
The next news from their son was that something terrible had happened to him.
That Friday night, about 200 residents of the town of Papatlazolco in the neighboring town of Las Colonias de Hidalgo detained, beat, and lynched Picazo González to death.
A rumor spread days ago by Papatlazolco’s WhatsApp and Facebook groups said that foreigners abducted children for organ trade. According to preliminary investigations by the authorities, the 31-year-old was the victim of a public lawsuit by a mobster.
Has such misinformation ever been used to cause concern in communities willing to believe it? and taken to extremes, as in this community in Puebla.
What happened?
Picazo González was a lawyer and worked as an adviser to a federal lawmaker until last March.
Picture: DANIEL PICAZO
He had just finished his master’s degree and on June 9, according to his father, he was trying to “escape” the stress of the city by visiting his home in Las Colonias de Hidalgo.
However, the climate in that region was not the same as before.
Two days ago, messages began circulating in chat rooms and social media groups that strangers abducted children.
There were even images with logos of institutions that no longer exist (for example, the PGR, which today is the Fiscalía General de la República). These photos showed that the so-called criminals were wanted.
“This information has been around for several years. The same photos are circulating not only here but also nationally in other parts of Mexico,” journalist Pablo Torres from Huauchinango tells the BBC’s Spanish news service, BBC News Mundo. , municipality where Papatlazolco is located.
Image: BBC
That Friday night, around 9pm, a local resident spotted a truck with license plates from another state and warned the community via WhatsApp that “foreigners have already been around and have probably been talking about them for two days.” journalist Torres.
“They were showing the young man for allegedly kidnapping children, without anyone confirming anything,” he adds.
According to the mayor of Huauchinango, Rogelio López, about 30 residents initially gathered.
“The police got a call and went to help right away, but then more than 200 people showed up. There were six police officers for over 200 people,” López said.
Footage posted on social media shows Picazo González handcuffed, with indications that he was beaten and forcibly taken to the streets of Papatlazolco.
‘A act of barbarism’
The authorities did not understand what happened before the death of the young man, “clever and hardworking,” as his father said.
The mayor claims that the police “saved” him until “over 200 people” arrived to attack the agents.
“And unfortunately, they couldn’t do anything else.”
A witness to the incident tried to help him by revealing his identity and origin, Picazo González’s mother told Mexican media.
“Boy, my son said to him, ‘Help, help!’ They tied him up, handcuffed him and left him on his knees,” Angélica González Milenio told television.
“He was about to die, he said, ‘Take my wallet, it’s in my pants.’ The witness also saw that he had taken his ID from the House of Deputies. (…) He wanted to defend my son, but the residents did not. state and municipal police, but they also accused him.”
Picazo González’s body was found charred after allegedly pouring gasoline on him and set on fire while he was still alive.
Puebla governor Miguel Barbosa said an investigation into the case has already been opened.
“A barbaric act of prejudice, ignorance, rumors, disbelief in authority is pure heresy,” Barbosa complained.
Picture: DANIEL PICAZO
However, the family said they have not received any new information yet. Authorities did not say whether there had been any arrests or progress until Tuesday.
“The only witness came to us, brave, explained everything that happened. But we didn’t see people there tasked with clarifying these issues and answering our questions,” Angélica González says.
Puebla and the country phenomenon
Government secretary Ana Lucía Hill said Monday (13/6) that the Puebla government has recorded 11 cases of lynching attempts, in which authorities managed to rescue 15 people.
Personnel training was carried out in 144 municipalities [de 217 no total]this has made it possible to significantly reduce cases and what is now being reported is people’s detention,” he explained.
But local media reported a few other deaths, and according to the Ignacio Ellacuría Institute for Human Rights, there were 600 cases between 2015 and 2019, with 78 deaths in the state.
Earlier, in a 2019 report, the National Human Rights Commission counted 336 cases of acts or lynchings involving 561 victims between 2015 and 2018.
Image: TWITTER
Journalist Pablo Torres from Huauchinango explains that this is not common in Papatlazolco, an indigenous community of about 2,600 people.
“I know these communities and have passed through them. These populations are not characterized by having this behavior consistently. I think it’s an event that stems from people’s misinformation and enthusiasm. But these populations are not characterized by persistent violence,” he says.
“Although they already have the potential to improve, they have a certain lag. Mostly people who lack a good level of education, which in many cases leads to ignorance.”
Meanwhile, Picazo González’s family awaits justice.
His sister wrote the following text on Facebook:
“I chose my favorite photo to say goodbye to you, discovering how they took your life, it disgusts me the most to discover how they took your life, not knowing you are a professional, who can’t hurt anyone, lover of travel and life, who ingenuously do it unfairly. bright future, fly so high, I’m Dany.”
“I believe that all people who break their wings because they are in the wrong time and place will fulfill the justice of Allah. You lived your short life as you loved most, rest in peace…”
Picture: DANIEL PICAZO
– This text was originally published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/geral-61811741.
source: Noticias
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