Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Postcard from... Mexico City

 

Nina Lakhani
Sunday 11 May 2014 20:12 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Holding pictures of missing sons and daughters high above their heads, they chant: “Where are they, our sons and daughters, where are they?” Saturday was Mother’s Day in Mexico and several thousand families whose loved ones have disappeared without a trace during the war on drugs were on the third March for Dignity and Justice.

A holy man performs an ancient Aztec ceremony with smoke, incense and flowers as families ask Mother Earth for strength and protection. More than 40,000 people are missing in Mexico, with a third of those thought to be lying in morgues unidentified and unclaimed. The crowd is scattered with red and pink roses, the traditional Mother’s Day gift given by children to their mothers.

Many have travelled hundreds of miles by bus overnight from every corner of Mexico to beg President Enrique Peña Nieto to search for their children. They slowly make their way down Paseo de Reforma, one of Mexico City’s main avenues, towards the towering Angel of Independence, where there is a roll-call of the disappeared.

Marches and protests are two a penny in Mexico City, but the sight of so many grief-stricken mothers wearing T-shirts bearing the faces of their missing children will be hard to forget.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in