Increase in Disappearances in Mexico

Mexico recorded more than 120,000 missing people in recent decades, while violence and impunity contributed to this phenomenon continuing to rise.

Despite the creation of institutions for the search for people, the numbers continued to increase. Families of the missing pointed out that the authorities did not make sufficient efforts to locate them.

States with the Most Disappearances

The State of Mexico recorded one of the highest rates of disappearances in the country. Municipalities like Atlautla reported 1,956 cases, while Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl, and Toluca also presented alarming figures.

Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and Jalisco were identified as critical points. Security agencies linked the disappearance of people to disputes between organized crime groups.

Search Collectives Faced Obstacles

In the absence of results from the government, collectives like Madres Buscadoras de Sonora took the initiative to locate their loved ones. Since 2019, this group reported having found more than 1,230 bodies in clandestine graves and located 1,300 people alive.

The murder of activists like Sofía Raygoza Ceballos, a searching mother in Zacatecas, highlighted the risks faced by those who carried out this work.

Lack of Official Records

In 2023, the federal government stopped publishing statistics on clandestine graves, which caused criticism from human rights experts. Without official information, they denounced that the problem seems less severe than it really is.

Organized Crime and Disappearances

Cartels like the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel have been accused of using clandestine graves to hide murders. The collusion between authorities and criminal groups has also been denounced as a factor that worsened the problem.

Less than 5% of disappearance cases were solved, leaving thousands of families without answers.

Demands for Justice

Families of the disappeared organized marches and blockades in different states, demanding answers from the government. However, human rights organizations considered that the actions implemented so far have not been effective.

Mexico faces a disappearance crisis without a clear or effective strategy from the authorities. Search collectives and experts insist that urgent actions are required to address this problem.