Background and Relevance of the Case
On September 26, 2014, 43 students from a teacher training school in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, disappeared while traveling by bus to participate in a protest in Mexico City. The case remains unsolved, with only the remains of three students found and no convictions.
Delfina de la Cruz, a mother of one of the missing students, has expressed her frustration after eleven years of not knowing her son’s whereabouts. She joined a massive protest in Mexico City on Friday, marking the anniversary of the students’ disappearance.
Investigations and Suspects
The investigation has implicated local police for detaining the students, who were then handed over to drug traffickers. Former attorney general and several military officials have also been charged, primarily for alleged negligence.
Families of the students accuse the military of withholding information, going beyond merely failing to perform their duties. On Thursday, protesters demolished the gate of a military unit in Mexico City during another demonstration related to the Ayotzinapa case.
Expressions of Despair
The protest on Friday was marked by numerous expressions of despair, with rain-soaked participants voicing their frustration. Retired professor Jesús Gumaro, who joined the march spontaneously, held a sign criticizing former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) and his successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, for failing to “clear up the crime.”
“We had hoped for a resolution, but there’s nothing,” said the 66-year-old university professor.
Key Findings and Allegations
Both investigations conclude that the students were kidnapped and murdered by the Guerreros Unidos cartel, with local police as accomplices. Mexico has over 120,000 missing persons since 2006, with the majority disappearing following the government’s declaration of war on drug cartels involving military forces.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the 43 students? They were teacher training students from a school in Ayotzinapa, Mexico.
- What happened to them? They were allegedly kidnapped by the Guerreros Unidos cartel with assistance from local police and subsequently murdered.
- Why is this case significant? The case highlights the ongoing issue of enforced disappearances in Mexico, with over 120,000 people missing since 2006.
- Who has been implicated? Local police, a former attorney general, and several military officials have been charged or investigated for their roles in the case.
- What is the current status of the investigation? Despite numerous arrests and investigations, only three students’ remains have been found, and no convictions have been secured.
