The search for missing loved ones in Mexico continues as individuals brave dangerous conditions without the protection of authorities. In Tepotzotlan, Mexico state, hundreds of collectives are participating in search operations to raise awareness for the nearly 100,000 people registered as missing in the country. The work is risky, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights documenting cases of women being slain while searching for missing relatives. Despite the dangers, the searchers are determined to continue their efforts to find answers and bring closure to families.
The groups participating in the search operations this weekend have chosen to forgo government protection as a way to protest the authorities’ lack of response to disappearances. The National Unification of Searching Families, made up of about 250 collectives, stated that they feel abandoned by the state in addressing the national emergency of missing persons. Juan Carlos Trujillo Herrera, who has been searching for four missing brothers for over a decade, emphasized the importance of uniting search collectives across Mexico to raise awareness and consciousness about the issue.
The searchers in Tepotzotlan used various tools, including a backhoe, shovels, and picks, to dig through the debris in the garbage dump. Metal rods were also used to detect the scent of death in the area. Disappearances have been a longstanding issue in Mexico, but the problem worsened in 2006 when the government declared war on drug cartels, leading to a surge in violence. Families of the missing were often left with no choice but to search for their relatives on their own, facing obstacles and dangers along the way.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration has taken steps to address the issue of missing persons in Mexico, including creating a national database and the National Search Commission for Missing Persons. However, the government’s handling of the recount of missing persons last year drew criticism from families and advocates. The recount was seen as an attempt to reduce Mexico’s high total of missing persons, which went from around 113,000 to just under 100,000. Despite these efforts, families and search collectives continue to push for more action and support from the authorities.
The search for missing loved ones in Mexico remains a pressing issue that requires attention and action from both the government and society. As families and collectives across the country come together to raise awareness and search for answers, they are met with challenges and dangers in their pursuit of truth and justice. The determination and resilience of these searchers reflect the deep emotional toll that the epidemic of missing persons has had on Mexican society, urging authorities to step up their efforts to address this ongoing crisis.
