Mexico's SEP halts inspection of Ignacio Zaragoza Military Academy after protest

The State Education Secretariat (SEP) announced that it would continue surveillance visits to the Academia Militarizada Ignacio Zaragoza in Puebla, covering all levels from preschool to higher education. On 5 August, SEP supervisors arrived at the school but were forced to suspend the inspection when demonstrators blocked access. SEP said the visit aims to verify that the academy complies with educational regulations and to protect students' constitutional right to education. Parents seeking refunds for enrollment fees were directed to the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO).

At the same time, students, alumni and parents staged a rally in front of the academy, holding signs that read “AMIZ no se cierra” and urging SEP not to close the institution. They acknowledged reports of mistreatment and referenced the recent death of Dafne Zapata at a similar militarized school in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, but claimed that punishments at Ignacio Zaragoza are limited to exercise and detention, not physical abuse. The academy’s legal representative denied entry to SEP officials, citing incomplete accreditation and delayed arrival.