Search engine movement calls on the SG to reactivate dialogue and work together

Jared Laureles

La Jornada Newspaper
Sunday, November 9, 2025, p. 4

Within the framework of the first session of the National Search System, the Movement for Our Missing Persons in Mexico (MNDM) and the National Persons Search Network, among other groups, called on the Ministry of the Interior (SG) to reactivate the dialogue for the joint construction of a “comprehensive State agenda” for the location, investigation and identification of people in the country.

They pointed out that after the 10 working groups that were held between last April and June, in which proposals from 450 groups were collected, the incorporation of mechanisms for the implementation of the new Law on Forced Disappearance of Persons and its legislative harmonization in the states are still pending.

The MNDM, made up of more than 90 groups in the country, indicated that in these tables their needs were established in five axes to respond to the crisis of more than 133 thousand missing people in the country, according to official figures.

Martín Villalobos, spokesperson for the MNDM, declared that one of the key points is the creation of the National Search Plan, where clear inter-institutional coordination routes are established, with the participation of families in all search and identification processes, as well as their security.

He indicated that the approved search and investigation protocol is also pending, for which conditions already exist for its analysis once the National Citizen Council has been installed.

In an interview, he mentioned that although the general law on the matter was reformed and published, it does not have regulations, so it is essential to define the obligations and powers of the institutions involved in the National Search System, including the prosecutor’s offices and local commissions.

Regarding forensic human identification, the MNDM spokesperson mentioned that the families of missing persons ask that a national strategy be analyzed with the Government that articulates infrastructure, diverse technology and multidisciplinary teams to address the backlog, according to figures from organizations, of 72 thousand unidentified deceased people.

Villalobos pointed out that it is necessary to work on new or existing databases and information systems that are useful for search and identification.

He added that it is essential to guarantee their interconnection, control and traceability, strengthening systems such as the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons.