On June 3, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador met with the families of the 43 students who disappeared from the Normal Rural School of Ayotzinapa in 2014. During the meeting, authorities provided only 15 documents out of the 800 requested by the families to the Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA). We will keep monitoring the investigation into the students’ disappearance. We urge the Mexican state to take all necessary steps to ensure the families learn the truth and those responsible are brought to justice.
Families’ request for crucial documents
Relatives of the 43 Ayotzinapa students, along with supporting organizations, have repeatedly asked the government to ensure the Armed Forces deliver over 800 crucial documents for the investigations. Amnesty International urged Mexican authorities to ensure that SEDENA provides these documents promptly. They also called for international independent experts, the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), to review them.
President’s meeting and promises
On June 3, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador met with the families of the 43 disappeared students for the first time since September 2023. The Mexican government reported that during the meeting, President Obrador provided only 15 out of the more than 800 requested documents to the Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA).
Organizations at the meeting noted that President Obrador mentioned over 250 field searches but no identification of the students. He accused the GIEI of hindering the investigation. President Obrador promised to maintain communication with the families until the end of his term and committed elected President Claudia Sheinbaum to follow up.
Continued advocacy and monitoring
The public campaign, including appeals from Amnesty International members, has kept attention on these investigations and supported the families’ demand for justice. We will continue to monitor the investigation and urge the Mexican state to ensure the families learn the truth and that those responsible for the 43 disappearances are prosecuted.
