Thousands of people have held protests across Mexico to highlight the country's many enforced disappearances and demand more action by officials to tackle them. Relatives and friends of missing people, as well as human rights activists, marched through the streets of cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Córdoba, calling for justice and urging President Claudia Sheinbaum to help find their missing loved ones.
With more than 130,000 missing individuals reported, most of these cases have occurred since 2007 when the country's 'war on drugs' began. Many victims have been forcibly recruited into drug cartels or murdered for resisting.
The widespread demonstrations across various regions, from Oaxaca in the south to Sonora in the north, highlight how enforced disappearances touch every community in Mexico. Protesters carried placards displaying their loved ones' faces while demanding that authorities be more proactive in addressing the issue.
In Mexico City, a significant march caused traffic disruptions, illustrating the public's urgent call for change. Many families have taken matters into their own hands, forming search teams known as 'buscadores' to scour the countryside and deserts for mass graves, often risking their safety in the process.
The United Nations describes this situation as a 'human tragedy of enormous proportions,' noting that the scale of disappearances in Mexico exceeds some of the most tragic periods in Latin America, with historical comparisons drawing upon Guatemala's civil war and Argentina's military dictatorship.
With more than 130,000 missing individuals reported, most of these cases have occurred since 2007 when the country's 'war on drugs' began. Many victims have been forcibly recruited into drug cartels or murdered for resisting.
The widespread demonstrations across various regions, from Oaxaca in the south to Sonora in the north, highlight how enforced disappearances touch every community in Mexico. Protesters carried placards displaying their loved ones' faces while demanding that authorities be more proactive in addressing the issue.
In Mexico City, a significant march caused traffic disruptions, illustrating the public's urgent call for change. Many families have taken matters into their own hands, forming search teams known as 'buscadores' to scour the countryside and deserts for mass graves, often risking their safety in the process.
The United Nations describes this situation as a 'human tragedy of enormous proportions,' noting that the scale of disappearances in Mexico exceeds some of the most tragic periods in Latin America, with historical comparisons drawing upon Guatemala's civil war and Argentina's military dictatorship.
