Ayotzinapa collapses: Special prosecutor resigns

Rosendo Gómez Piedra has stepped down from his position as head of the Special Investigation and Litigation Unit for the Ayotzinapa case, a decision that deepens the crisis in one of the most sensitive and emblematic human rights investigations in Mexico's recent history.

The already tortuous search for truth and justice for the 43 Ayotzinapa students has suffered a devastating setback. Rosendo Gómez Piedra , who headed the special prosecutor's office dedicated to the case, resigned on Tuesday, confirming rumors that had been circulating for months and plunging the investigation into profound uncertainty.

Gómez Piedra's departure is not an isolated incident. It comes amid growing criticism from the students' parents and human rights organizations, who have denounced a lack of significant progress, stagnation in the investigation, and an alleged lack of political will to get to the bottom of the matter.

The possibility of a change in the leadership of the special prosecutor's office had already been announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum last May. Gómez Piedra's administration, who took office in 2022 following the controversial departure of Omar Gómez Trejo, was marked by distrust among the victims' families.

The main criticisms focused on:

• Lack of Results: Despite the government's promises to clarify the case, no definitive convictions have been issued against the masterminds of the crime.
• Conflicts with the GIEI : Relations with the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) deteriorated, culminating in the group's departure from the country after reporting obstruction by the armed forces.
• Release of Those Implicated : Several judicial decisions have resulted in the release of dozens of those implicated, including military personnel, which has been interpreted by families as a sign of impunity.

Gómez Piedra's resignation is part of a complex political framework. The Ayotzinapa case has been a wound open to three federal administrations, and its resolution has become a litmus test for the credibility of the Mexican state.

Political analysts point out that the prosecutor's departure could be a government strategy to "reset" the investigation in the eyes of the public and international organizations, appointing a new leader who inspires greater confidence. However, there is also a risk that this change could only serve to further delay the process and undermine the continuity of the few lines of investigation that were still active.

The great mystery remains the role of the army in the Iguala night. Families and independent experts have insisted that access to military archives is crucial to clarifying what happened, a demand that has so far met with strong institutional resistance.

For the parents of the 43 students, this resignation is yet another blow in their long and painful struggle. It represents the uncertainty of having to start over, rebuild trust with a new team, and the fear that the truth will become increasingly elusive.

The government now faces the monumental task of appointing a successor who not only has the technical capacity to lead an investigation of this magnitude, but also possesses the independence and credibility necessary to be accepted by the victims. Otherwise, the wound of Ayotzinapa will continue to bleed, a constant reminder of the Mexican state's debt to justice.