Families of Mexico’s Missing 43 Students Demand Answers \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ On the 10th anniversary of the abduction of 43 students from a rural teacher’s college in southern Mexico, families marched in Mexico City, demanding justice and answers. Despite early promises from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the investigation remains stalled, with military involvement suspected but unproven. As the case remains unsolved, the families vow to continue their fight for truth.
43 Students’ Disappearance: A Decade of Pain Quick Looks
- Families of the 43 missing students marked 10 years since their abduction, marching through Mexico City.
- The case, labeled a “state crime,” has seen minimal progress, frustrating the families.
- President López Obrador, who once promised answers, now faces criticism for shielding the military.
- Over 115,000 people are recorded missing in Mexico, with the 43 students’ case emblematic of ongoing disappearances.
- 120 people are in custody, including a former attorney general accused of fabricating the initial investigation’s narrative.
- Families now plan to pressure incoming President Claudia Sheinbaum to deliver justice.
Deep Look:
A somber milestone was marked in Mexico City on Thursday as families of the 43 students from the Rural Normal School of Ayotzinapa commemorated a painful 10-year anniversary, disillusioned by what they call a decade of broken promises from the Mexican government. The 43 students disappeared on September 26, 2014, in Iguala, Guerrero, in an incident that remains one of Mexico’s most notorious unsolved cases.
Ten years later, the families of the missing continue to march, as they did on this rainy Thursday, alongside thousands of supporters, all demanding the truth about what happened to their loved ones. Margarito Guerrero, father of missing student Jhosivani Guerrero de la Cruz, expressed his frustration and heartbreak as he reflected on the long journey without answers. “The first time we came through here, who could have imagined that all of this time would pass and (we’re) here again without answers,” he said.
The disappearance of the 43 students, all young men from a rural teacher’s college, shocked the nation and ignited protests both in Mexico and abroad. The students had traveled to Iguala to commandeer buses—a common practice among students needing transportation for protests—but were attacked by a drug cartel in collaboration with local authorities. It is believed the students were handed over to the Guerreros Unidos cartel, but their ultimate fate remains unknown.
Over the years, the Mexican government has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of the case. Successive administrations have made promises of truth and justice, but much of the investigation remains shrouded in mystery and obstruction. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who took office in 2018, initially inspired hope among the families by declaring the students’ disappearance a “state crime” and creating a Truth Commission to further the investigation. However, as the years passed, hopes dimmed as the military’s refusal to cooperate hindered progress. López Obrador, who once appeared committed to resolving the case, has since aligned himself with the military, which critics accuse of involvement in the students’ disappearance.
“He gave us a lot of hope,” said Joaquina García, mother of missing student Martín Getsemany Sánchez. “But it looks like he really protects the military and that’s not fair.” Her sentiment echoes the frustrations of many families who feel that despite promises, the military’s role in the disappearance has been shielded from scrutiny.
As the investigation faltered, the case became a symbol of deeper systemic issues in Mexico, where over 115,000 people are officially recorded as missing. The families of the Ayotzinapa 43 have kept the case in the public eye for a decade, pushing for transparency and accountability. Their persistence is driven by a desire to uncover the truth, but their fight is also about justice for thousands of others who are still missing in Mexico.
For the families, each passing year without answers deepens their sense of betrayal. President López Obrador, who initially vowed to solve the case, now faces accusations of backtracking. Just this week, he minimized findings from his own administration that pointed to military involvement, dismissing them as politically motivated. “He’s protecting the military, and that’s not what he promised us,” said one family member. The disappointment felt by the families has only grown as they continue to wait for answers, with little clarity on the fate of their loved ones.
The United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement on Thursday lamenting the “unsatisfactory results” of the investigation, expressing deep concern over the lack of progress. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which had dispatched experts to aid the investigation for eight years, also voiced frustration, condemning the “pact of silence that has impeded the identification of the perpetrators and those who cover for them.”
Meanwhile, about 120 people are in custody in connection with the case, including high-profile figures like Mexico’s former attorney general, who has been charged with creating a false narrative to cover up the truth. Despite this, the ultimate question—where are the 43 students?—remains unanswered. The pain of not knowing what happened to their children weighs heavily on the families. “Ten years of suffering, 10 years of pain, of not having your son isn’t easy,” García said during an emotional event at Mexico’s National Autonomous University.
López Obrador’s reluctance to fully engage with military complicity in the case has left many feeling abandoned. The president’s recent remarks have further alienated the families, especially after he characterized attempts to implicate the military as driven by “political interests.” For the families, these comments were a betrayal of their trust and a signal that their fight for answers might need to continue into the next administration.
With López Obrador’s departure just days away, families are now turning their attention to President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will take office soon. They have made it clear that they will not let the case fade into obscurity under the new leadership. “We’re going to press her if she doesn’t respond,” vowed Guerrero. Joaquina García, another determined mother, added, “This fight is not over.”
As the rain poured down on the marchers in Mexico City, it symbolized the enduring grief and struggle of the families. After a decade of unanswered questions, the families remain resolute in their demand for justice. Their message was clear: until the truth is revealed, they will continue marching, speaking out, and fighting for the memory of their missing children.
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