Thousands of people across Mexico participated in widespread demonstrations on the International Day of the Disappeared, demanding that the government take decisive action to address the nation’s staggering total of over 130,000 enforced disappearances. The protests, which spanned multiple cities including Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Córdoba, were organized by relatives of the missing, human rights activists, and community members calling for justice and accountability.
In Mexico City, the capital came to a standstill as a massive march proceeded down central avenues, with protesters carrying photographs of their loved ones and placards bearing messages such as “President, what does a country that sows bodies harvest?” This visual appeal underscored the personal tragedies behind the statistics and the frustration with governmental inaction. Similar scenes unfolded in other urban centers, from the southern state of Oaxaca to northern regions like Sonora and Durango, illustrating the nationwide scope of the crisis.
The disappearances are largely a consequence of Mexico’s prolonged drug war, initiated in 2007 under then-President Felipe Calderón. Since then, the vast majority of cases involve individuals who were forcibly recruited by drug cartels, murdered for resisting, or victims of extrajudicial actions by security forces. Drug cartels and organized crime groups are the primary perpetrators, but complicity or direct involvement by state actors has been alleged in numerous instances, eroding public trust.
Affected families have taken matters into their own hands by forming search teams known as “buscadores.” These groups, often comprised of women, brave extreme risks to scour countryside and deserts for mass graves, relying on tip-offs that sometimes come from the cartels themselves. Their activism is fraught with danger; recently, in Jalisco state, several buscadores disappeared after uncovering a suspected narco-ranch, though official investigations later questioned the site’s nature.
The United Nations has described the situation as “a human tragedy of enormous proportions,” noting that Mexico’s disappearance toll surpasses historical benchmarks such as Guatemala’s 36-year civil war, which saw around 40,000 disappearances, or Argentina’s military dictatorship with an estimated 30,000. This comparison highlights the severity and urgency of the crisis, calling for international attention and intervention.
Protesters are specifically urging President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to enhance search efforts, provide better protection for searchers, and ensure justice for victims. The demonstrations signal a growing impatience with what many perceive as insufficient governmental response, despite previous allocations of funds to state search commissions.
Looking ahead, the movement emphasizes the need for comprehensive policies that address root causes, including corruption and impunity, while supporting the families left behind. As the buscadores continue their perilous work, the hope is that increased visibility will catalyze meaningful change and prevent further tragedies in Mexico’s ongoing struggle for human rights.