Families of missing persons and victims of irregular handling of human remains in a clandestine crematorium installed an altar this Saturday outside the Chihuahua Prosecutor's Office, demanding justice for the 386 bodies found in 'deplorable and reproachable' conditions. Verónica Gamboa, daughter of Desiderio Gamboa Duarte, one of the people who could be among the bodies found, explained that the altar seeks to honor those who were not treated with dignity in life or after death. They also aim to denounce the uncertainty faced by families after discovering that the remains they received do not necessarily correspond to their loved ones. 'If they were not treated with dignity at the time as they should have been, our focus now is on that: honoring their memories and ensuring they are remembered,' she said. She commented that it is a 'nightmare' they are living, as the pain is great from not having the certainty that the ashes received are those of their relatives, and affirmed that the grieving process was interrupted in a 'grotesque and inhumane' manner after learning that the bodies were mishandled for years. She also questioned the death of the crematory's caretaker, considered a key witness. 'Many say: they are just bones. These are our families,' she expressed. Miguel Villanueva, another of those affected, attended the altar with the photograph of his mother and daughter, whose remains, he says, still have not been identified with certainty. 'It represents an open wound. The Prosecutor's Office has not told us absolutely anything,' he affirmed. The activist acknowledged that forensic areas have allowed minimal progress thanks to the identification of garments exhibited as evidence, but assured that the Prosecutor's Office has not been transparent in the process and has not clarified responsibilities. 'We have not seen a clear progress. We thought it was closed, but with this whole situation, the wound has reopened,' he said. And now, what a coincidence, the only worker of the crematorium, who was a key witness, dies. 'You don't need to be a genius to know that they silenced that man so that he would not point out those who are also responsible,' he declared. The pain reopened Miguel Villanueva, another of the affected, attended the altar with the photograph of his mother and daughter, whose remains, he says, still have not been identified with certainty. 'It represents an open wound. The Prosecutor's Office has not told us absolutely anything,' he affirmed. The families reiterated that they are not only seeking forensic answers, but justice and guarantees of non-repetition. They also demanded that the investigations not be limited to the two detained employees, but reach authorities who allowed or covered up the irregular handling of bodies. The collective announced that it will continue with protests and will demand a meeting with federal authorities due to the lack of results from the state government.
