Jalisco missing persons search and policy initiatives

The Jalisco State Commission for the Search of Persons (COBUPEJ) announced a new design for missing persons search notices to be implemented on October 5. The updated format includes QR codes to allow the public to verify the authenticity of notices and check the current status of individuals through the State Registry of Missing Persons (REPD). This measure was introduced following requests from search collectives and families to distinguish official notices from unverified online images.

In a separate effort to address social cohesion, the Government of Jalisco held ‘Dialogues for Territorial Peace’ to consult with families and collectives of missing persons. These meetings aim to incorporate community experiences and proposals into the State Program for a Culture of Peace 2026-2029, seeking to improve institutional relationships and strengthen coordination between government agencies.

Building on these efforts, the Luz de Esperanza collective and deputies Mariana Casillas Guerrero and Leonardo Almaguer Castañeda have introduced an initiative to reform the State of Jalisco’s Disappeared Persons Law. The proposal seeks to allow the State Search Commission to conduct humanitarian and extrajudicial searches in abandoned or uninhabited properties and vacant lots without a judicial warrant, provided the sites are freely accessible. This legislative push follows reports from spokesperson Héctor Flores regarding delays in obtaining search warrants for open spaces in Zapopan, where authorities have reportedly found human remains and suspected bodies but have been unable to proceed due to pending judicial authorizations.