La Gallera, Memorial site in Maclovio Rojas, Tijuana, Mexico.
La Gallera is a memorial site in Maclovio Rojas, Tijuana, featuring commemorative walls inscribed with hundreds of names of those who vanished. The location documents through carved inscriptions the identities of individuals lost during Mexico's drug-related violence.
From 1996 to 2012, this location operated as an illegal disposal site where Santiago Meza Lopez processed bodies for the Arellano Felix cartel. The discovery of these operations eventually led to the site's transformation into a memorial.
The Unidos por los Desaparecidos organization transformed this location into a gathering space where families come to honor those who vanished. Here, the community demonstrates how remembrance becomes a daily practice of connection and respect.
Visitors can explore the site through guided visits organized by local community groups dedicated to preserving the memory of those lost. It is best approached with respect and time to read the inscriptions carefully.
Specific areas of the site mark where large containers once held remains processed in chemical solutions. These lesser-known details reveal the scale of operations that occurred at this location.
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