How are families in Mexico remembering their disappeared loved ones?

Families are creating Christmas ornaments with photos of their missing relatives, hanging them on a 'tree of hope' as a symbol of remembrance and to draw attention to the crisis.

What is the scale of disappearances in Mexico?

Since 1952, over 133,000 people have disappeared in Mexico due to human trafficking, kidnapping, retaliation, and cartel recruitment.

What role are religious leaders playing in Mexico's disappearance crisis?

Some religious leaders are offering spiritual support, seeking forgiveness for past inaction, and organizing events to aid families of the disappeared.

Home / Crime and Justice / Ornaments of Hope: Families Remember Mexico's Missing

Ornaments of Hope: Families Remember Mexico's Missing

29 Nov

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Summary

Grieving families create ornaments for missing loved ones.
Over 133,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since 1952.
Religious leaders offer support and ask for forgiveness.

Ornaments of Hope: Families Remember Mexico's Missing

In Mexico City's suburbs, families grappling with the disappearance of loved ones are finding a way to remember them during the holidays. For Verónica Rosas, it has been 10 years since she last set up a Christmas tree, the grief over her son Diego's 2015 vanishing too profound. She and other relatives recently gathered to create ornaments featuring photos of the missing.

This initiative, hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Ecatepec, aims to draw attention to Mexico's severe crisis of disappearances, with over 133,000 people missing since 1952. The ornaments are placed on a 'tree of hope' in the cathedral, a symbolic act by families seeking to keep the issue visible. Many, like Marisol Rizo, have searched for relatives for over a decade, struggling with authorities' inaction.

Religious figures are also stepping in, with Bishop Javier Acero publicly apologizing for past failures to support victims. An ecumenical group, the 'church circle,' actively provides spiritual support, celebrating Masses and assisting in searches. Their presence offers a vital source of comfort and hope to families enduring ongoing anguish.

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