This section is dedicated to post interviews and testimonials related to enforced disappearance in México, either as a result of state terrorism of the 1970’s, the so called War Against Drugs started by former President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa or the survivors and relatives of 43 disappeared students.
Juan Carlos Trujillo Herrera (brother of 4 disappeared members of his family in 2008 and 2010) founded the organization Familiares en Búsqueda María Herrera AC. He is member of Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad (2011), and currently he is member of Red Enlaces Nacionales which is conducting National Brigades in Search of Disappeared Relatives. On April and July of 2016 Enlaces Nacionales started the search on clandestine mass graves in Amatlán de los Reyes and Paso del Macho, both in the state of Veracruz. The first search resulted in the discover of 15 clandestine mass graves and more than 15,000 remains of disappeared people. These searches were made by the means of families of disappeared without the intervention or financial support of government’s authorities. The interview was conducted on October 20th in Spanish and it has no English subtitles. If you wish to know more and support the next National Brigade please contact:
familiaresenbusqueda@gmail.com
Paula Mónaco Felipe and John Gibler presented their work about Ayotzinapa at Haverford College and were interviewed by Gabriel Brossy De Dios and Jiselle from Swarthmore College on October 4th. Paula Mónaco Felipe joined at a very young age the organization HIJOS (Sons and Daughters for Identity, Justice and Against Oblivion and Silence). As a daughter of disappeared people in Argentina under the dictatorship, Mónaco has been an activist for human rights in Argentina and Mexico. Her recent book Las horas eternas (2015) recovers the identity of 43 disappeared students, their families and their lives before they were taken away by the state. John Gibler, journalist and writer, has been reporting last decades about social movements and politics in Mexico. His major non fiction works are: Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt (2009), To Die in Mexico: Dispatches From Inside the Drug War (2011), Tzompantle La fuga de un guerrillero (2014), and his last book Una historia oral de la infamia (2016). The interview addresses the serious crisis of human rights violations in Mexico as well as it discusses the complex political, social and historical context that has made enforced disappearance a massive practice. The interview is bilingual in Spanish and English.
Asociación Esperanza contra la Desaparición Forzada y contra la Impunidad (2002) is an association of relatives of disappeared people in the state of Baja California. In 2014 it has registered more than 2, 800 cases of enforced disappearance in contrast to the data provided by the Prosecutor’s Office of the state which has documented only 500 cases. Moreover after achievements made by the association for typifying the crime of enforced disappearance, and the political pressure for creating a Special Prosecutor’s Office, in 2008 the government dissolved the Special Prosecutor’s Office and changes made on the legal code. Miguel Ángel Leyva, legal coordinator, says that Baja California was in 2014 the first state with more cases of enforced disappearance in Mexico. He also acknowledges that sadly the disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa students has shed light to this issue suffered by citizens in the north of Mexico since 2000’s. This interview was published by the channel Punto y Aparte in November 7, 2014.
Carmen Luz Mendoza, mother of Jorge Aníbal Cruz Mendoza, and Blanca Luz Nava Velez, mother of Jorge Álvarez Nava explain their demands made in recent demonstrations in Mexico City: 1) Mexican government should accept a follow up mechanism of recommendations made by GIEI about Ayotzinapa case. 2) They are asking to remove Tomás Zerón de Lucio from his post at SEIDO because it has been proven he manipulated evidence in the river San Juan where presumably human remains were recovered.
Felipe de la Cruz father of Josimar de la Cruz (survivor from the attack) explains the outcomes of the meeting with Mexican government on May 19, 2016. He also acknowledges the relevance of people’s support.
Mario César González Contreras, father of César Manuel González Hernández explains their demands to the Mexican government regarding the follow up mechanism for attending recommendations made by Inter-American Commision of Human Rights to Mexican government.
Cristina Bautista (mother of Benjamín Asencio Bautista), Isabel Telumbre (relative of Christian Alfonso Rodríguez Telumbre) and Ericka de la Cruz (wife of Adán Abraham de la Cruz) talk about their experiences after 20 months of demanding truth and justice. Their statements were made during the book presentation Historia oral de la infamia by John Gibler and Ayotzinapa horas eternas by Paula Mónaco. Entrances for show La mano que mece la fosa by Reinas Chulas at El vicio, and book selling in this event were donated to relatives of 43 students. May 26, 2016.