STORY: Miners, students and relatives of victims marched on Saturday (February 14) in Zacatecas, Mexico, carrying banners and chanting slogans in protest after the recent abduction and murder of workers at a silver mine operated by Canada's Vizsla Silver Corp.

Mexico's attorney general's office announced on Monday (February 9) that 10 bodies were recovered in Concordia, Sinaloa, five of which have been identified, while forensic teams work to determine the identity of the rest of the remains. The group had been kidnapped in January from a silver mine operated by Canada's Vizsla Silver Corp in an area security officials described as being under the control of the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel run by the sons of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Two of the victims, Jose Angel Hernandez Velez and Ignacio Aurelio Salazar Flores, were born in Zacatecas and have already been put to rest in their respective localities.

Authorities have suggested the victims may have been mistaken for members of a rival criminal organization, according to comments made by Mexico's security minister on Tuesday (February 10) following the interrogation of suspects in the case.

"The objective is to raise our voice for peace and security," said Cristian Meza Solis, one of the miners participating in the demonstration, which included placards denouncing extortion and banners mourning the victims.

The march concluded at Zacatecas' municipal palace, with banners declaring the miners in mourning and urging authorities to take decisive action against violence.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: ZACATECAS, MEXICO (FEBRUARY 14, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. MINERS MARCHING, CHANTING SLOGANS

2. MINER CARRYING SIGN READING (Spanish): "THEY WERE NOT NUMBERS, THEY WERE LIVES"

3. VARIOUS OF MINERS MARCHING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MINER, CRISTIAN MEZA SOLIS, SAYING:

"The objective is to raise our voice for peace and security."

5. MINERS MARCHING, CHANTING SLOGAN (Spanish): "IT WAS EXTORTION, NOT CONFUSION"

6. MINERS CARRYING BANNER READING (Spanish): "WE MINERS ARE MOURNING"

7. MINERS WITH BANNER SHOWING PHOTOGRAPH OF KILLED MINER

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MINING ENGINEER, XOCHITL LOPEZ, SAYING:

"It's not fair because we are working people, we are honest people, we are good people. We are missing miners, we are demonstrating here in a silent and peaceful way, fighting for justice for everyone."

9. VARIOUS OF MINERS MARCHING WITH BANNERS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF EARTH SCIENCES UNIT AT THE AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF ZACATECAS, RUBEN DEL POZO, SAYING:

"Hopefully, this will serve as an example of what should never happen."

11. MINERS CARRYING BANNER, SHOUTING SLOGANS

12. CHILDREN MARCHING

13. MINERS MARCHING

14. MINERS GATHERED

15. BANNER READING (Spanish): "WE ARE IN MOURNING"

16. MINERS IN FRONT OF MUNICIPAL PALACE