Massacre survivor warns other travelers

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- An Ecuadorian who survived a mass killing believed to be the work of a Mexican drug cartel warned others not to make a trip through Mexico to the United States.

The man, identified as Luis Freddy Lala, was interviewed by state television in Ecuador, CNN reported. His face was not shown during the interview.

"I'm telling all Ecuadorians not to travel anymore, because the Zetas are killing lots of people," he said, referring to the drug cartel believed to be responsible for the massacre.

The Ecuadorian, who was wounded and said he survived by playing dead, led police to a ranch in Tamalpais Aug. 24. They found 72 bodies, all of them believed to be migrants from Central and South America crossing Mexico to the U.S. border.

Mexican police say there was one other survivor, who has not been identified for safety reasons.

Lala said he was in a vehicle headed north with other migrants when they were abducted by men in three cars. He said they were taken to a house, tied up and shot.

"I heard them shooting at my friends," he said. "They shot me and they killed everyone else."