Hundreds of mothers of missing people, relatives, and activists marched in protest through downtown Mexico City on Friday to commemorate Mother's Day. The marchers expressed frustration over the government's perceived lack of interest in investigating the disappearances of over 100,000 missing individuals in Mexico. Chanting slogans like 'Where are they, our children, where are they?' and carrying banners displaying photos of missing people, the demonstrators demanded action.
The Mother's Day march followed the recent discovery of the bodies of three foreigners in Baja California, just days after their disappearance. This contrast highlighted the disparities in the search efforts for missing individuals, with some families waiting years or even decades for answers.
One mother, who has been searching for her son for almost three years, emphasized the unequal treatment in search operations, noting that foreign nationals received swift attention while many Mexican families faced bureaucratic hurdles and delays.
Another mother shared her 14-year-long quest to find her abducted son, criticizing the lack of progress in investigations and the government's failure to provide answers. She highlighted the mothers' proactive role in pushing authorities to act by providing investigative leads.
Amidst the frustrations, some of the anger was directed at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose administration faced criticism for prioritizing cases of falsely reported missing persons over actively searching for the disappeared.
The march also reflected the broader discontent with the government's handling of the issue, with one mother symbolically presenting a 'missing person' announcement to López Obrador to highlight his perceived inaction.
Furthermore, the recent accusations by López Obrador's administration against the press and volunteer searchers were met with condemnation. The derogatory remarks labeling them as engaging in 'necrophilia' for reporting on suspected clandestine activities added to the mothers' grievances.
Despite the challenges and frustrations, the mothers and activists remained resolute in their demand for justice and closure for the missing individuals. The march served as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by families of the disappeared and the urgent need for meaningful action and support from the authorities.
