A man who was kidnapped in the municipality of Ocozocoautla, Chiapas, was found alive.

TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ, Chis. (apro).- On the afternoon of Monday, June 16, at around 4:30 p.m., hooded armed men burst into a bar in the Vicente Guerrero community, in the municipality of Ocozocoautla, and forcibly abducted Héctor Zúñiga Trejo. His disappearance has left the rural community fearful, and they report the presence of individuals driving around with weapons in pickup trucks.

The community, located just 15 kilometers from the capital city, is reporting the presence and activity of organized crime in the area. Residents report that the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force (FRIP), an elite unit created by Governor Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar and deployed to strategic locations in Chiapas with specialized equipment to combat organized crime, has not arrived.

Six months after Ramírez Aguilar took office, Chiapas has seen a significant decrease in some high-impact crimes, such as homicides, extortion, and disappearances, thanks to the Peacebuilding Strategy. However, more people are now daring to come forward, such as the mothers of four 15- and 16-year-old middle and high school students who have been missing since August of last year in the municipality of Arriaga in the coastal region.

Ten months later, the families of Yuritzi Pérez Fericano, 16; Martín Gustavo Ramos Cruz, 15; Ángel Fabrizio Santiago Torales, 15; and Emmanuel Alemán Camacho, 16, will request the authorities' intervention during a pilgrimage organized by the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish.

The families of the young men, whom they consider "educated, studious, and hardworking," will mobilize ten months after their enforced disappearance. They claim that officials from the Prosecutor's Office and the State Commission for the Search for Persons kept them intimidated, telling them not to post anything on social media about their disappearance, because then the kidnappers might get angry and refuse to return them alive.

The Prosecutor's Office is not looking for you

The forced disappearance last Monday of Héctor Zúñiga Trejo in the municipality of Ocozocoautla caused deep concern among residents, as they say, months ago five trucks entered the hamlet, the boys who were chatting on a sidewalk made noise, the men returned, beat them and warned them not to be too brave.

Hector, 29, a cattle dealer, says his sister Iris. He went to deliver some cows to the municipal slaughterhouse in his father's truck on Monday morning. On the way back, he went out with his friends to have a few beers. As always, he posted where he was on the family chat, even sending a photo.

“The last connection we had with him was at 4 p.m. From then on, we noticed his messages weren't coming through, so my dad went looking for him. The truck was abandoned at the bar with the windows down. No one was there. When we asked his friends and the bartender, they said they didn't know anything and hadn't seen anything.”

Hector, his sister says, was taken along with another friend, but he was returned the next day, all beaten up. “He’s in shock; he says he was bandaged. They dumped him in the neighborhood.”

Hector's family reported him missing to the Ocozocoautla public prosecutor's office. Iris says she asked what would happen after the report, and was told, "We'll spread the word, and when we have something, we'll let you know." Iris says she requested that her brother's cell phone be tracked, but was told it couldn't be done because it was turned off.

They will march for the disappearances in Arriaga

In the city of Arriaga, a municipality bordering the state of Oaxaca, residents will march on a pilgrimage next Sunday, June 22, to demand the safe return of the four teenagers and the other missing persons.

In that town, residents report other forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, which occurred as part of the struggle between criminal organizations that have been at odds since 2020 over territorial control.

"Friends and family, whoever would like to support me with your valuable presence this June 22nd, at 5:00 a.m., leaving Calvario, there will be a torchlit procession, with lanterns and candles, wearing white clothing, and if you would like a photo," reads the invitation launched for relatives of other missing people in Arriaga.

The mothers of the four missing young men say that, so far, the only information they have about their sons' disappearance comes from the records issued by the State Attorney General's Office, but ten months later, the kidnappers have not sent them any messages.

The women are convinced that their children can return home and continue their studies, because they dreamed of going to university and serving the community as doctors, engineers, and teachers.

The disappearances

The crisis of disappearances in Chiapas is a complex and painful phenomenon, largely linked to the confrontation between organized crime groups fighting over territory. While crime has decreased, disappearances are a persistent and worrying reality that not only has not disappeared, but in some areas and among certain segments of the population, is actually on the rise, according to civil society organizations.

2023 was the year with the highest concentration of disappearances in Chiapas, with 304 people still missing.

In 2024, forced disappearances increased between January and October, doubling the number of missing youth and children, with 208 active cases during that period alone. This represents a 90 percent increase in current reports compared to 2023, according to data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System.