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Today, we're talking about the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College in Guerrero—a heartbreaking case that still remains unresolved.

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Let’s start.

TOP NEWS 

43 Missing Ayotzinapa Students Unresolved Case, 10 Years Later

Ten years after 43 students from a rural teachers’ college in Guerrero vanished, their families are still demanding answers and justice. Protests erupted across government buildings in Mexico City to mark the anniversary.

Tell me more.

The missing students attended Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College, known for its history of social justice activism. When traveling to protests or meetings, students often commandeered buses, stranding passengers in the process.

On September 26, 2014, about 100 students left their campus on two buses and sought to seize more for an upcoming demonstration in Mexico City, commemorating the 1968 Tlatelolco student massacre. 

After a long day of failed attempts, the students finally secured five buses in Iguala. But as they prepared to return, the Iguala police opened fire, killing six people, including three students, and injuring many others. The worst was yet to come: over the next days and weeks, families realized 43 students were missing.

Let’s unpack this.

During President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, authorities claimed the students were abducted by the Guerreros Unidos gang. The government’s version claimed the gang killed them, burned their bodies at a dump, and disposed of their ashes in a river. However, investigations by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and a Truth Commission created in 2019 debunked this, revealing that the narrative was based on evidence obtained through torture.

Subsequent investigations uncovered that the events involved a massive operation not only by Guerreros Unidos but also by local, state, and federal police. The military was aware of the situation, as it had a base in Iguala, soldiers on the streets, and informants among the students. Prosecutors even suggested that the army was involved in drug trafficking, using buses to smuggle heroin from Guerrero to the U.S.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration labeled the disappearances a "state crime" covered up by authorities. Yet, despite this admission, no one has been convicted, and only the remains of three students have been identified. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, set to take office on October 1, promises to continue the investigation.

What does this mean?

The Ayotzinapa 43 case remains a symbol of the deep-rooted corruption and collusion between cartels and government forces in Mexico. As demonstrators marked the 10th anniversary, including throwing firecrackers and spray-painting the Senate courtyard, the case continues to draw public attention in a country with more than 115,000 registered disappearances. 

The 43 families, still fighting for justice, insist that if this was indeed a "state crime," the government must know the truth and who is hiding it.

Other Stories: 

🎬 The new Chapultepec Cineteca is now open—and free for one month! 

🛌 Congress approves Oct 1 Inauguration Day as a federal holiday in Mexico

🤭 There is beef between Spain & Mexico over the Spanish conquest 

🪖 Mexican Senate puts National Guard under military command despite criticism

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CULTURE & HAPPENINGS

• Thur, Sep 26: Voila language & network social 🔗

• Fri, Sep 27: 16th Plant Fest @ Ex Fabrica MX 🪴

• Sat, Sep 28: Jazz festival in Roma 🎺

• Sun, Sep 29: Ballet Folklórico @ Bellas Artes 🩰 

• Wed, Oct 2: Borderless karaoke @ Insurgentes 🎤

DID YOU KNOW?  

That Mexico banned GMO corn from the US? But then it postponed the ban until 2025. I may expand on this in a future newsletter. Let me know if you want to hear more about it.

VIRAL VAULT

A special section of our newsletter for memes, reels and TikToks. Send your fave my way!

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See you next week!