“The resignation of Mrs. Teresa in the National Search Commission was something inevitable and necessary for the victims and for families. The groups always asked for the resignation, we always demanded and said that we did not endorse the imposition they had made with that headline,” says Martínez Corrales, who has been looking for his sister Yatzil since 2010, missing in Acapulco, Guerrero.
This week, the Ministry of the Interior will begin with the process to choose who will be the third person holding of the Search Commission, an agency that was born in 2019 during the Andrés Manuel López Obrador government. His two previous headlines, Karla Quintana and Teresa Reyes, resigned before completing their period.
The search groups recognize that the departure of Reyes did not occur due to their demand, however, they see in the transition the possibility of choosing a profile that does offer solutions on how to face a crisis that leaves 91 disappearances per day.
“We are not talking about combating room or vehicles, we are talking about the life of people and their integrity is at risk,” says Fernández.
“This is an institution that is not a school for anyone. Here has to get someone who has knowledge and experience, to bring a clear vision of what has to be done and how.”
Grace Fernández, movement for our missing.
(Photo: Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro.)
In accordance with article 51 of the General Law in the field of forced disappearance of persons, disappearance committed by individuals, and the National Personal Search System, The head of the National Search Commission is appointed and removed by the head of the Federal Executive, at the proposal of the Ministry of the Interior.
Among the requirements to be met are: not having held a position of national or state leader in a political party, within two years prior to their appointment; have knowledge and experience in human rights and search for people; and preferably with knowledge in forensic sciences or criminal investigation.
After the resignation of Reyes, whom she described as “extraordinary and of great sensitivity”, President Sheinbaum said the best profile for the institution is sought.
However, Yoltzin Martínez warns that there is fear among groups and relatives not only that the designation process is not very transparent, but also that the government again chooses a profile “close to power.”
“This government has been very tax, has imposed in almost all areas of the powers, we already saw it with the Legislative Power, with the Judicial Power of the Federation and right now it is feared that something similar is done with this appointment. There is little expectation that we have a transparent and fair process,” warns.
Therefore, they demand that the consultation process be wide and open to the groups of people, in order to evaluate knowledge and experience, but also sensitivity and empathy towards victims and their families.
“We do not want anything hurried, it has to be a broad call, translated into indigenous languages and that have a wide diffusion the guidelines of how a person will be described and evaluated once elected,” adds Grace Fernández.
“What we expect is that it is a fair, transparent call, where trained profiles do intervene, but also that they know and have walked with the victims. I think that sensitivity, empathy must have it ahead.”
Yoltzin Martínez, Raúl Trujillo Herrera collective.
