Mexican President Pledges to Stand by Victims of Femicide and Disappearances

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, March 10, 2025. Photo: EFE

March 10, 2025 Hour: 12:52 pm

Over 120,000 people remain missing according to the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons.

On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum committed to always standing by the victims of femicide and disappearance.

Mexico’s first female president stated that the Interior Ministry and the National Search Commission have held meetings with some groups of searching mothers and families. Her administration is working in various areas to advance the search for missing persons and improve databases, where significant information gaps persist.

Sheinbaum recalled that during the administration of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (2018-2024), many individuals who were reported as missing returned home without notifying the corresponding prosecutor’s office. However, they were later identified and visited at their residences after their information was cross-checked during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

The Mexican leader also emphasized the importance of continuing to analyze the context of disappearances, strengthening the work of search commissions, and further professionalizing the operations of prosecutors’ offices.

“This is work that we are actively pursuing. The Ministry of the Interior is collaborating with organizations focused on missing persons. Even if we have differing perspectives, we will never be in conflict with a mother who has lost a child, a sibling, or another missing relative,” Sheinbaum said.

In Mexico, over 120,000 people remain missing, according to data from the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons (RNPDNO).

Sheinbaum’s statements come amid demands from the families of femicide victims in Mexico. Since Monday, they have been protesting outside the National Palace, awaiting a meeting with the president.

In 2024, at least 3,403 women were murdered in the country. Of these cases, 839 are being investigated as femicides—gender-based crimes—while 2,564 are classified as intentional homicides, according to the latest report from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP).