Protests over the Missing Turns into Condemnation of Mexican Justice System

A huge “Closed!” sign was put up by students from 200 schools from Mexico City at the main entrance of the Prosecutor’s office, PGR, which is located in Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city’s main avenues.

A student told the press that they have come to close the PGR and tell them to resign if they cannot offer justice.

The students gathered in front of the office for four hours and also made a human chain with the numbers 1 to 43 painted on their bodies, along with a question mark.

Students from several educational institutions shouted protest slogans demanding justice.

On Sept. 26 local police in the southern town of Iguala attacked and shot students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Normal School, which left six dead, 25 injured and 43 missing, and allegedly involving the participation of the United Warriors crime cartel.

About 300 students from the Ayotzinapa School occupied the High Court of Justice of Guerrero, while around 600 teachers from the State Coordinator of Education Workers, CETEG, took over the collegiate court and the Fifth Court of the Federation, also in Mexico City.

Another group of CETEG teachers peacefully blocked access to the Federal Palace in Acapulco, a building located in the tourist area that has federal, state and municipal government institutions.

The President of the Mexican Senate, Miguel Barbosa, acknowledged Thursday that state organs have to provide answers in the Iguala case.

Last Thursday, in the main plaza of Mexico City, a symbolic vigil of prayer and fasting was held for 43 hours, organized by civil and religious groups.

Human Rights Watch assured that the Iguala case puts in evidence the profound human rights crisis that has gripped Mexico.

The director of the Americas Division of HRW, Jose Miguel Vivanco, regretted that President Enrique Peña Nieto’s government has not taken a quick and forceful action against the disappearance of 43 students.