Rubén Moreira proposes urgent legislation to tackle forced disappearances in Mexico

PRI deputy Rubén Moreira Valdez, coordinator of the party’s parliamentary group, announced that he will present a legislative initiative aimed at strengthening Mexico’s response to forced disappearances. He said the country still lacks a transparent, structured policy and that the new proposal will introduce a 90‑day urgent procedure for cases involving children, adolescents, women subjected to gender‑based violence, migrants, people with disabilities and alleged involvement of public officials.

The draft law seeks to keep state investigations open even after a missing person is located, guarantee families immediate access to case files, and make the Special Declaration of Absence a full‑proof piece of evidence. It also calls for labor and social‑security benefits to be provided from the moment a disappearance is reported, rather than after a six‑month wait. The legislation would obligate the Secretaría de Gobernación to issue the necessary regulations, act as the coordinating authority, and report on implementation within 24 hours, addressing the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances’ 2023 observations of near‑total impunity in Mexico.