A hundred parents accompanied by children and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) marched, on Wednesday, April 24, in San Cristóbal de las CasasChiapas, pairto demand justice for missing girls, boys and adolescentssurvivors of sexual violence and for a childhood free of violence.
“The violence began to become widespread and was accentuated last Saturday when we found out through social networks about the disappearance of a child, which is why teachers, students and neighbors show solidarity with the family, there is empathy and They demonstrate in favor of peace in San Cristóbal de las Casas“teacher Carlos López told EFE.
The mobilization occurs due to the increase in cases of missing girls, boys and adolescents in Chiapas, where according to data from the organization Network for the Rights of Children and Adolescents in Chiapas (Redias) there are 2 thousand 223 complaints from 2020 until March 31, 2024.
The NGOs indicated that so far in 2024 there have been 11 disappearances of children and adolescents in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
The march was led by girls, boys and adolescents, in the company of parents and teachers, who carried a blanket with the legend “The children of San Cristóbal de Las Casas ask the adults to live in peace.”
The protesters gathered in the north of the city, considered the red zone of the municipality, they walked for more than two kilometers to end in the “La Paz” square, with the same voice the infantrymen sang a song of peace.
Parents and teachers shouted slogans such as: “Stop child violence!”, “Stop sexual violence!”, “Not one more missing child!”“Peace and security for San Cristóbal!”, “Punishment for the kidnappers!”
“We want peace, security, Today we no longer have that, the example is the kidnapping of the child, we are in danger, but not only the children but the entire population,” Claudia Gómez, a participant in the march, told EFE, who asked the authorities to “look again.” to San Cristóbal, we are sad and worried.”
This call was joined by Magda López, mother of the family, who asked ““We ask the authorities to do what they have to do and ensure our safety.”
The demonstration closed with a statement in front of the city’s Municipal Palace Museum, where both minors and fathers and mothers expressed their demands for justice in cases of disappearance such as the one that occurred on April 20 where a child Leonel “N”, of the Tzotzil ethnic group, 11 years old.
What is the situation of children in Chiapas?
La Redias denounced that there is a disappearance crisis in the entity since 2021, which has been the year with the highest number of reports of disappearance of girls, boys and adolescents with 629.
In this context, the municipalities of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Tapachula and San Cristóbal de las Casas have concentrated 44 percent of the cases and, according to data from the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons, Chiapas is the fourth state in terms of child disappearances. and adolescents at the country level from 2020 to 2024.
Furthermore, they pointed out that 75 percent of the disappearances correspond to girls and adolescents, while adolescent girls Women from 12 to 17 years old represent the most vulnerable population.
