The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) warns of the complicity of authorities with organized crime in cases of disappearances; it reports more than 128,000 missing persons.

More Information: When presenting the report "Enforced Disappearances in Mexico," the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) warned that while enforced disappearances are no longer promoted by the State, impunity and the complicity of police officers and local officials with organized crime persist. At the Memory and Tolerance Museum, the IACHR highlighted that as of June 2025, there were 128,000 missing persons and more than 70,000 unidentified bodies in the country, revealing the humanitarian and human rights crisis that Mexico is experiencing in this area. The Inter-American Commission acknowledges that the vast majority of disappearances are caused by organized crime, but cases of collusion between criminals and authorities responsible for security and justice tasks have also been documented. Also read: Judge acquits 9 members of the Mexican Navy accused of forced disappearance; CNDH asks the Disciplinary Tribunal to investigate. "Enforced disappearance in Mexico persists and is a massive, widespread phenomenon perpetrated primarily by organized crime, with the participation or complicity of state agents. Impunity is the rule, and as long as there is no justice at all levels, disappearances will continue. It is urgent to reverse impunity and strengthen prevention and justice," warned Andrea Viviana Pochak, Vice President of the IACHR. Various collectives of mothers searching for their missing children attended the presentation of the report, as well as the Undersecretaries of Human Rights, Population and Migration of the Ministry of the Interior, Arturo Medina; and of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Enrique Ochoa, who emphasized the willingness of the government of the Republic to maintain a dialogue with international organizations. Arturo Medina highlighted that the government of Mexico will be building "bridges and communication channels" with the IACHR. Also read: Armed Forces reaffirm "absolute loyalty" to Sheinbaum; "we will continue walking together with the institutions," they say. "The disappearance of persons is a national priority that requires coordination between all levels of government and permanent dialogue with families and collectives. We have made progress in legal reforms, search protocols, institutional strengthening, and the creation of tools such as the national alert system and forensic databases. We recognize the pending challenges, value the recommendations of the IACHR, and reaffirm our commitment to combat this crime, assist the victims, and consolidate a state policy built together with families," emphasized the Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior. Meanwhile, Enrique Ochoa stated that the Mexican government recognizes the magnitude of this scourge and reiterates its firm commitment to eradicate it. "Although there may be different approaches in the analysis and diagnosis of this phenomenon, this is in no way a reason, under any circumstances, to deny or minimize it. The pain of the people and families affected is not minimized. That is why we sincerely thank you for your presence today, and we convey our empathy, our respect, and our solidarity." The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Mexico recognizes and values the commitment of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to the affected people, as well as its interest and constructive dialogue in contributing to the efforts being made in the various institutions of the State. Also read: PAN calls for impeachment proceedings against Rocha Moya; "we will exhaust all legal resources," warns Romero. "Only within a framework of genuine cooperation will we be able to make progress in the search for truth and justice." He said that Mexico is one of the countries that most cooperates with international organizations and mechanisms in the field of human rights. "We maintain a close and open relationship with the Universal and Inter-American human rights systems." For her part, Bibiana Efigenia Mendoza, of the "Until we find you" collective, described the actions of the Mexican government as "shameful," denouncing that since 2018, federal officials have been closed to dialogue with organizations of mothers searching for their missing children and civil society organizations. "The federal government has never opened its doors to us, despite the fact that we have come knocking on them on multiple occasions," she said. Join our channel! EL UNIVERSAL is now on Whatsapp! Find out about the most important news of the day, opinion articles, entertainment, trends, and more, from your mobile device. News according to your interests.