Mexico advances reforms to protect families of the disappeared

Federal deputy Rubén Moreira Valdez (PRI) introduced a reform of the General Law on Forced Disappearances and the next‑generation search system. The proposal seeks to recognize forced disappearance as a continuous crime, assign exclusive investigative authority to civil agencies, embed a gender perspective in search protocols, guarantee families direct access to investigation files, protect search‑team members, and professionalise search commissions and specialized prosecutors. The bill cites more than 133,500 people recorded as missing by the end of 2025 and over 4,000 clandestine graves.

In the state of Baja California, Secretary General of Government Juan José Pon Méndez met with mothers and families of the missing in Ensenada, reviewing case files, expanding psychological and legal assistance, and coordinating security forces for field searches. A second aquatic search at the Emilio López Zamora reservoir was scheduled with the Navy, the Defense Ministry, the National Water Commission, the state prosecutor’s office and municipal fire and police units. The state government reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with search collectives and to provide continuous, sensitive support to victims’ families.