Latin American families demand justice amid rising missing persons crisis

Various regions across Latin America are facing ongoing crises regarding missing persons and legal challenges for families.

In Guatemala, the Association of Relatives of Detained and Disappeared (FAMDEGUA) filed a complaint regarding the disappearance of 37 artists during the country's internal armed conflict, alleging state involvement and crimes against humanity.

In Mexico, families and collectives are actively searching for loved ones. In Veracruz, families conducted public searches to raise awareness, while in Tampico, the collective ‘Unidos de Corazón hasta Llegar a Ti’ demanded progress on investigations dating back to 2018. Specific cases include a 3-year-old girl in Jalisco allegedly taken by her father and two men reported missing in Ciudad Juárez.

In Cuba, Yoandri Marín is organizing a support network for families of the disappeared following the three-year absence of his sister, Karildi Marín. Meanwhile, in Paraguay, authorities have activated search protocols for 19-year-old Jessica Johanna Martínez Núñez, who disappeared in San Pedro.

In Chile, legal discussions continue regarding the ability of courts to locate individuals for child support obligations when a domicile cannot be established.