Genoveva Sánchez, mother of one of the 43 missing normal students from Ayotzinapa, died

Jared Laureles and Sergio Ocampo

Reporter and correspondent

La Jornada Newspaper
Saturday, December 6, 2025, p. 8

Genoveva Sánchez Peralta, mother of Israel Caballero Sánchez, one of the 43 Ayotzinapa normalistas who disappeared in 2014, died on Thursday in the municipality of Tixtla, Guerrero.

Estanislao Mendoza, father of Miguel Mendoza (one of the absent students) pointed out that Mrs. Genoveva, 60, died as a result of several illnesses, including diabetes, but did not give more details.

The Committee of fathers and mothers of the 43 reported that her remains were laid to rest in the community of Atliaca, where she was originally from, and that the burial took place in the municipal pantheon yesterday after noon.

The Undersecretary of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior, Arturo Medina, expressed his regret for the death of Mrs. Genoveva, who actively participated in the mobilizations to demand the presentation alive of her son and the other 42 normal students.

The Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center, an organization that accompanies the case, and the Office in Mexico of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights did the same, who expressed their solidarity with the family.

“Like so many mothers and fathers who search for their loved ones, their path was marked by dignity and love,” highlighted the international organization.

More than 11 years after the disappearance of the 43 students, Genoveva’s death joins that of the other six fathers and mothers who have died due to illness, without having fulfilled their desire to see their children again and obtain justice.

In 2018, Minerva Bello, mother of Everardo Rodríguez, and Tomás Ramírez, father of Julio César (murdered on the night of September 26, 2014), died. In 2021, Saúl Bruno, Saúl’s father; and Bernardo Campos, father of José Ángel; in 2022, Ezequiel Mora, Alexander’s father.

The most recent case occurred last May. Donato Abarca Beltrán, father of the normalist Luis Ángel Abarca Carrillo, died inside the Ayotzinapa normal school due to respiratory arrest.

Originally from Atlialca, normal student Israel Caballero is a father and has three sisters; When she entered the Ayotzinapa normal school, her daughter was born (in August 2014). The last time Genoveva Sánchez saw him was on September 25 of that year, one day before his disappearance.