Protesters ram gates of Mexico City military base to demand answers in Ayotzinapa case
Demonstrators including students from Ayotzinapa and relatives press for new investigations as the 2014 disappearance nears its 11th anniversary
Protesters in Mexico City on Thursday rammed the gates of a military base with a truck and set the vehicle on fire, escalating demonstrations over the 2014 disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College students. The action occurred on the eve of the 11th anniversary of their disappearance as relatives and supporters demand full cooperation from the armed forces and clearer lines of inquiry.
Current students from the Ayotzinapa campus in Guerrero joined relatives of the missing in front of the military installation, carrying photos of the 43. After confronting the gates, some demonstrators backed a truck into one of the base entrances and then ignited fireworks that set the vehicle ablaze. Authorities reported no injuries, and security forces kept the scene under control as protesters dispersed. The confrontation signals growing frustration among activists that the case remains unresolved despite years of investigations.
The Ayotzinapa case has become a watershed moment in Mexico’s struggle over accountability for abuses committed during the so-called war on drugs. In 2022, a government truth commission described the disappearances as a “state crime,” a finding that has intensified calls for accountability beyond criminal prosecutions of individuals. Since then, dozens have been arrested, including a former attorney general and various local officials, police officers and soldiers, but no one has been convicted of involvement in the disappearances.
The military has faced ongoing demands to hand over hundreds of documents that families say could unlock new avenues of inquiry. Authorities have said there are fresh lines of investigation, but relatives say progress remains limited. President Claudia Sheinbaum has replaced the prosecutor in charge of the case and has pledged renewed efforts, yet families and advocates say genuine accountability remains elusive as the clock ticks toward another anniversary.
The roots of the case lie in the 2014 incident, when the students commandeered buses in Guerrero with the aim of traveling to Mexico City for a protest marking the 1968 massacre of protesters by government forces. The authorities say the students were abducted and killed by members of a heroin-trafficking cartel with ties to some security forces, including regional authorities and possibly elements within the military. While the fate of all 43 remains uncertain, the charred remains of three students have been identified, underscoring the tragedy and the long road to truth and justice. The case continues to provoke widespread outrage across Mexico and remains a symbol of perceived state involvement in violence and impunity.