March of the 43 ends in the Basilica

Jared Laureles

La Jornada Newspaper
Saturday, December 27, 2025, p. 6

As 11 years and three months have passed since the forced disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa normal students, the relatives marched yesterday from the Peralvillo roundabout to the old Basilica of Guadalupe to strengthen their hope in the search for their children.

Melitón Ortega, spokesperson for the families, declared that in the last year the fathers and mothers have suffered emotional and health wear and tear, and indicated that they went to the Basilica to “recover their strength, energy and, above all, to strengthen their faith that this fight is worth it.”

Before entering the religious premises, he acknowledged that President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo had opened the possibility that the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) would take up the Ayotzinapa case, although he noted that one year into her administration “we have not had concrete results.”

During the homily, the families of the normalistas entrusted their search for the truth to the Virgin of Guadalupe and confirmed that they will continue fighting until justice is achieved.

“As mothers and fathers, we will never stop looking for our children, we love them, we adore them and we want to hug them again,” said Hilda Hernández, mother of César Manuel.

During the mass in memory of the missing students in Iguala, Guerrero, Bishop Emeritus Raúl Vera criticized the lack of compliance with the federal government’s commitments to clarify the case that occurred more than 11 years ago.

In front of the fathers and mothers of the young people, the priest pointed out that the previous administration could not provide them with the truth and justice that they have longed for.

Furthermore, the religious called on them not to stop their fight, because – he stressed – the main responsibility of the State is to “provide justice and peace” for the citizens.