Convictions for this type of group crime are rare in Mexico, due to the difficulty of determining the individual responsibility of those involved, but prosecutors in the state of Puebla, in the center of the country, had solid and unusual evidence.
The woman, identified only by her first name, Augustina, according to Mexican law, is said to have raised money to rent a vehicle with a loudspeaker and to drive around the village of Acatlan asking people to come and help kill both men.
The victims were beaten to death and burned by a raging crowd, claiming to be abductors, but state prosecutors say they were farmers and that there is no evidence that they were involved in any crime.
Some videos recorded by cell phones show the city’s inhabitants applauding and shouting “long live the people” while the bodies of the two men were still smoking.
Cars with loudspeakers attached to the roof are a common tool in many small cities in Mexico to advertise products, events or even to sell newspapers.
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