Eleven years after Ayotzinapa, IACHR urges Mexico to continue the search for truth and justice

September 26, 2025

Washington, DC—On the 11th anniversary of the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reaffirms its solidarity with their families and commitment to the cause. It urges the Mexican State to maintain consistent, transparent dialogue with them and to step up efforts to ascertain the fate and whereabouts of the students and hold those responsible accountable.

Precautionary measure 409/14, issued by the IACHR on October 3, 2014, remains in force. In it, the IACHR called on the State to ascertain the fate or whereabouts of the 43 students from the Raúl Isidro Burgos Rural Teachers' College in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, who disappeared between September 26 and 27, 2014. It also requested appropriate assistance for the students who survived the violent attacks that night. Since then, the IACHR has actively supported the families and the State in various initiatives to pursue truth, justice, and comprehensive reparations.

In its latest report, the Presidential Commission for Truth and Access to Justice in the Ayotzinapa Case (COVAJ) noted the possible involvement of organized crime, police, military personnel, and other state authorities in the disappearance. Despite this, 11 years after the events, the State has not clarified the full circumstances of the students' disappearance, and their families do not yet know the fate of their loved ones.

In recent years, victims and their representatives have raised concerns about the ineffectiveness of spaces for dialogue; perceived obstacles to justice, including allegedly irregular procedural benefits granted to members of the armed forces; and the continued refusal to provide documentation believed to be in the custody of the Ministry of Defense. Families have also expressed fear of a return to the so-called "historical truth" and noted disparaging remarks by officials regarding their legal representatives and human rights bodies that have activated international mechanisms in the case. The IACHR views these developments with particular concern.

The State has indicated that search operations remain active and that it has intensified these efforts, allocating additional resources to them. It reported that investigations into the involvement of the armed forces are ongoing and that any inappropriate procedural benefits granted are now subject to litigation, according to the Special Prosecutor's Office. The State also reported a change in the methodology used to analyze and corroborate information in the investigation, in order to focus more on technical and scientific evidence. It reported on challenges in extraditing suspects who are currently outside of Mexico and discussed efforts to obtain information from detainees through plea-bargaining mechanisms established by law.

Recent public developments have been positive. The IACHR notes that President Claudia Sheinbaum has reestablished direct dialogue with the families, reaffirming her commitment to clarifying the events and securing truth and justice. She publicly announced new lines of investigation as a result of coordinated work by the Attorney General's Office, the Security Cabinet, and the National Intelligence System. The IACHR also acknowledges the public statements by the Executive Branch confirming its commitment to opening military archives and punishing those responsible. Importantly, the IACHR welcomes the State's recent announcement that independent experts will be engaged to support the Attorney General's Office in its investigations and prosecutions.

The IACHR also took note of changes within the Special Prosecutor's Office for the Ayotzinapa case. Given existing concerns about dialogue with this office, the IACHR stresses that this transition must be accompanied by a clear strategy for advancing investigations, strengthening the body of evidence, expediting prosecutions, improving existing mechanisms, and above all ensuring that victims remain at the center of the process.

The IACHR reaffirms its commitment to the families of the 43 Ayotzinapa students and honors their tireless 11-year struggle for truth and justice. It also deeply regrets that in the past year, Mr. Donato Abarca Beltrán, father of student Luis Ángel Abarca, passed away without learning the truth about his son's disappearance.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 196/25

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