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Ileana, 14, dreamed with a big party to celebrate her 15th. Birthday, but burns on 90% of her body curtailed her dream. She left school and does not receive any treatment for her skin.
Eleven months ago, Ileana suffered third-degree burns after she went with her deceased aunt to steal fuel from a tanker truck that had capsized. After the accident, that left 22 dead due to burns and 36 injured, she and two more children received specialized treatment at the Shriners hospital in Galveston, United States. But when they returned to Tabasco, they faced a harsh reality that keeps them marginalized in their homes.
They are some of the 29 orphans left by the explosion on March 26, 2015 in the municipality of Cárdenas, about 90 kilometers from Villahermosa, a place where children and their families are engaged in illegal tapping of pipelines and tanker trucks.
At Ileana's house there are two beds, a TV and a fan that is on day and night to calm her discomfort, because her pores are sealed, so she can not sweat and her skin burns.
"Gasoline is very dangerous, I would like people to see how I ended up," was the message Ileana sent to the people and children of the area so that they stop stealing fuel.
Efraín de la Cruz González, Ileana's father, says his daughter could not continue her treatment because she was denied a visa to reenter the United States.
José Candelero Correa is another victim of the explosion in which he lost his father and a brother.
Chepe, as the 12-year-old boy is better known, remains at home because after the accident, in which he lost his left hand, he cannot be under the sun. Also, he wears a wetsuit and orthopedic sandals.
According to figures provided by the national oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) in 2015 fuel theft from Tabasco pipelines Tabasco grew 57.8% compared to 2014. Almost half (44.8%) of the illegal pipeline tapping was made in Huimanguillo along the Cárdenas-La Venta highway, and 30.5% in Cárdenas.
In San Miguel, El Corchero, Zapotal, El Hormiguero and Palo Mulato, children are trained to tap pipelines. The criminal organization Los Zetas controls the market of illegal fuel, sold under bridges and at houses marked with tires and fuel drums.
Magna gasoline is sold for 10 pesos (55 cents of a dollar) for liter and Premium for 12 pesos (66 cents).
