Over 130,000 Missing in Mexico; Families Use World Cup Opening to Call for International Attention
As the World Cup kicked off, hundreds of relatives of missing persons in Mexico took to the streets of Mexico City, using the globally-watched event to call for international attention to the country's nearly 135,000 missing persons cases and criticizing the government's inaction in search efforts.
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- 📰 Published: June 12, 2026 at 13:25
- 🔍 Collected: June 12, 2026 at 13:39 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 13:46 (6 min after Collected)
2026 World Cup Key News
Central News Agency
(Mexico City, 11th, Combined Foreign Reports) As the World Cup kicked off, hundreds of relatives of missing persons in Mexico took to the streets of Mexico City today, using the globally-watched event to call for international attention to the missing persons cases and criticizing the government's inaction in search efforts.
According to Reuters, members of search groups known as "searching mothers" (madres buscadoras) arrived by bus in the capital, Mexico City, last night to participate in a candlelight vigil and launched a large march around the stadium before the World Cup opening match.
Protesters posted thousands of missing persons posters at the roundabout near the stadium and along the train line leading to the venue, and painted protest slogans on walls and bus stops, including "Football's coming home, but when are our children coming home?"
Hector Aguila, 59, a member of the search group "Luz de Esperanza" (Light of Hope), has been searching for his son since he went missing in 2023.
He said families not only endure the pain of losing a loved one but also face long and fruitless bureaucratic procedures, which amounts to being victimized again.
Speaking outside a large fan event in the city center, he said: "We are not against the World Cup, nor are we against people coming here to enjoy the event. We are against the government spending millions of pesos on this while we are forgotten."
Alexandra Campa, 40, from the violence-plagued state of Jalisco, has been searching for her missing brother for over a year and participates in several search organizations.
She said: "They change the assigned lawyer almost every month, but there is never a solution. There are thousands and thousands of cases like mine."
The protest began peacefully, with participants wearing white shirts or green Mexican national team jerseys printed with photos of their missing relatives to express their demands.
However, later some protesters dismantled fences and clashed with security personnel, prompting police to deploy hundreds of riot police around the stadium.
According to official statistics, Mexico has nearly 135,000 missing persons. The government says most cases are linked to drug cartels, with many occurring during the militarized anti-drug campaign of former President Felipe Calderon. The Mexican government emphasizes that finding the missing remains a national priority.
However, critics argue that due to insufficient government resources and a severe backlog of judicial cases, families are forced to venture into dangerous areas themselves to search for missing relatives, and some have even been killed as a result. (Editor: Xu Ruicheng) 1150612
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Central News Agency
(Mexico City, 11th, Combined Foreign Reports) As the World Cup kicked off, hundreds of relatives of missing persons in Mexico took to the streets of Mexico City today, using the globally-watched event to call for international attention to the missing persons cases and criticizing the government's inaction in search efforts.
According to Reuters, members of search groups known as "searching mothers" (madres buscadoras) arrived by bus in the capital, Mexico City, last night to participate in a candlelight vigil and launched a large march around the stadium before the World Cup opening match.
Protesters posted thousands of missing persons posters at the roundabout near the stadium and along the train line leading to the venue, and painted protest slogans on walls and bus stops, including "Football's coming home, but when are our children coming home?"
Hector Aguila, 59, a member of the search group "Luz de Esperanza" (Light of Hope), has been searching for his son since he went missing in 2023.
He said families not only endure the pain of losing a loved one but also face long and fruitless bureaucratic procedures, which amounts to being victimized again.
Speaking outside a large fan event in the city center, he said: "We are not against the World Cup, nor are we against people coming here to enjoy the event. We are against the government spending millions of pesos on this while we are forgotten."
Alexandra Campa, 40, from the violence-plagued state of Jalisco, has been searching for her missing brother for over a year and participates in several search organizations.
She said: "They change the assigned lawyer almost every month, but there is never a solution. There are thousands and thousands of cases like mine."
The protest began peacefully, with participants wearing white shirts or green Mexican national team jerseys printed with photos of their missing relatives to express their demands.
However, later some protesters dismantled fences and clashed with security personnel, prompting police to deploy hundreds of riot police around the stadium.
According to official statistics, Mexico has nearly 135,000 missing persons. The government says most cases are linked to drug cartels, with many occurring during the militarized anti-drug campaign of former President Felipe Calderon. The Mexican government emphasizes that finding the missing remains a national priority.
However, critics argue that due to insufficient government resources and a severe backlog of judicial cases, families are forced to venture into dangerous areas themselves to search for missing relatives, and some have even been killed as a result. (Editor: Xu Ruicheng) 1150612
Choose to stand with the facts. Your support is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "One Hand News" app for instant updates.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.
FAQ
When did the protest take place?
It took place in Mexico City on the day the FIFA World Cup kicked off.
What are the protesters demanding?
They demand international attention for Mexico's missing persons crisis and improved government search efforts.
How large was the protest?
Hundreds of family members of missing persons participated, and thousands of posters were posted around the stadium.