Author: Yadira Sánchez-Esparza
Ayotzinapa protest outside of the Mexican Embassy with families of the students, Washington D.C
Today, eight years ago, 43 students from the Ayotzinapa rural teachers’ college were forcibly disappeared in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. To this day the victims and their families have still not received justice. But, this anniversary is a moment to celebrate the perseverance and strength of the families who continue to search for their loved ones and how far we have come together in calling for justice for the disappeared students.
On this anniversary, we want to thank YOU for all the work you have done to support us over the years to ensure we achieve justice for the families. From calling on members of Congress and the U.S. State Department to urge justice in the case, to standing with the families in protests and actions in Washington D.C., to bringing their voices to U.S. policymakers, and accompanying the group of experts in their demands to advance the investigation, it’s been a long road!
It has been difficult but we are finally seeing significant progress! Just last month Mexico admitted that Ayotzinapa was a crime of the state. This was a huge win. After years of demanding accountability we are finally seeing the sentencing of high-level government officials, including military generals involved in the disappearance of the students and the arrest of the former attorney general for covering up the truth in the investigation. But more must be done–only 3 remains of the 43 students have been identified so far. The search must continue and arrest warrants must lead to prosecutions.
We know that Ayotzinapa is only one of the 100,000 officially registered cases of the disappeared in Mexico. But, the tide is turning. We are closer now than ever to receiving justice. On this anniversary, joining us in calling for truth and justice. ¡Hasta que haya verdad, hasta que haya justicia!
