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August 30, 2010

The sole survivor from last week's massacre of 72 Central and South American migrants in northern Mexico, has been released from a hospital and returned to Ecuador today Mexican officials said, reports CNN.

The victims of these brutal killings were piled in a heap that included teenagers, middle-aged men, young girls and a pregnant women TIME reports. These people had left their homelands to journey through mountains and challenges by foot because they hoped for a better life for themselves in America.

The survivor, only known by Luis, was handed over to high-level Ecuadorian officials at the navy secretary's hanger in Mexico City, the Foreign Ministry and the Mexican interior secretary's office said in a joint release.

Apparently the survivor was taken to a secure location in his home country to continue his recuperation.

This young man was wounded by gunfire in the attack. The bullet went through his neck and out his jaw TIME reports. He survived by playing dead and later walked miles to a military roadblock near the town of San Fernando in Tamaulipas state which is less than 100 miles from the U.S. border in southern Texas. He reached contact with the Mexican marines on August 23.

Currently officials are investigating whether the Zetas drug cartel are responsible for these deaths. Luis reported to Mexican officials that the Zetas kidnapped and blindfolded the group of migrants with the hope of robbing them. With not much to give, the gang offered them the opportunity to become hit men. The victims refused and were consequently massacred.

The bodies of the 72 victims will be returned to their homelands of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Brazil.

These killings shocked the Mexican people and are viewed shamefully by the country's residents.

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