On May 16th, Mexico reached the grave milestone of 100,000 people officially disappeared. We know because of our work with family collectives searching for their loved ones that the real number is higher and that there are even more cases not officially registered. We need to take action. The longer this crisis persists, the more families are forced to share the pain of searching for their loved ones alone. Only between two and six percent of all disappearance cases in Mexico result in prosecutions. We must act now to make sure families receive truth and justice once and for all.
What is Going On?
We have asked again and again for the Mexican government to address the impunity that fuels disappearances in Mexico. Some progress has been made, but many challenges remain. We must also call on the U.S. government to ensure its policies support families of the disappeared and human rights in Mexico. Now, Representatives Grijalva (AZ-3), García (IL-4), and Castro (TX-20) are taking action by sending a letter to Secretary of State Blinken and other U.S. officials to express concern about the worsening disappearance crisis in Mexico and to urge U.S. support for search and justice efforts for the disappeared.
What does the letter ask for?
- Improving search efforts for the disappeared in consultation with families and civil society organizations.
- Strengthening forensic capacity, starting with tackling the backlog of unidentified bodies.
- Advancing investigations and ensuring that authorities are held accountable.
What You Can Do?
The letter closes this Thursday, June 2nd, at 5:00pm EST. There isn’t much time left. Find your representative here and ask to speak to the foreign policy aide or leave a message asking for your Representative to sign onto the letter NOW!
Sample Script:
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE]. I urge Representative [YOUR REP’S LAST NAME] to sign onto the letter circulated by Reps. Grijalva, Garcia, and Castro on U.S. Cooperation to Help End Mexico’s Disappearances Crisis. By doing this, Representative [YOUR REP’S LAST NAME] will be standing up against impunity and helping bring truth and justice to the families of the disappeared. By signing on, Representative [YOUR REP’S LAST NAME] contributes to positive U.S. foreign policy that protects human rights in Mexico. Thank you for your attention on this matter.”
Your activism is essential to demand justice for the disappeared and their families. We will not stop until they are found. #HastaEncontrarles
