LETTER FROM HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND FAMILY COLLECTIVES TO THE MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS

81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Third Committee (A/80/737)

Endorsements of the Letter to the Member States of the United Nations General Assembly                                                                                                     

Mexico, August 30, 2026

Subject: Proposed procedure to address the request of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances submitted to the General Assembly, pursuant to Article 34 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED/C/MEX/A.34/D/1), concerning the situation of disappearances in Mexico.

I. Introduction

On May 12, 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres sent a note (A/80/737) to all Member States of the General Assembly (UNGA), together with the decision CED/C/MEX/A.34/D/1 of the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) concerning the activation of Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In that decision, “the Committee finds that there are well-founded indications that enforced disappearance has been and continues to be committed in Mexico as a crime against humanity, through various widespread or systematic “attacks” in different places and at different times, directed against the civilian population…”.

II. Purpose of this Note

Through this note, civil society organizations, collectives of families of disappeared persons, as well as experts and academics, seek to provide your Permanent Mission with information on the seriousness of the disappearance crisis in Mexico. This information is intended to inform bilateral dialogue with the Mexican government and discussions in the Third Committee of the UNGA, within the framework of the procedure initiated by the CED pursuant to the activation of Article 34 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

III. Background

1. There are more than 135,000 disappeared persons in Mexico and more than 72,000 human remains pending forensic identification. The State has an outstanding debt regarding truth, justice, and reparation to the families of victims and to Mexican society as a whole.

2. To date, policies to prevent disappearances have been insufficient and ineffective, and disappearances are therefore increasing in 28 of Mexico’s 32 federal entities.

3. Disappearances are perpetrated by: (i) private individuals or criminal groups; (ii) State authorities; and (iii)  criminal groups with the support, tolerance, or acquiescence of the State.

4. There is a 99% impunity rate in cases of disappearance, and there are no effective mechanisms to investigate them. Prosecutors’ offices lack effective autonomy, and the possible participation or collusion of  public officials with the perpetrators of disappearances is not investigated.

5. Both United Nations human rights mechanisms and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS agree in their assessment of the magnitude and seriousness of the situation, as well as the insufficiency of the measures adopted by the government to curb the crisis of violence and disappearances in the country.

6. Consequently, on March 19, 2026, the CED decided to invoke Article 34 of the Convention governing its mandate, considering that there were sufficient indications that disappearances in Mexico are being committed in a widespread and/or systematic manner and that, as established in Article 5 of the Convention, they could constitute crimes against humanity (CED/C/MEX/A.34/D/1).

7. It therefore referred the case to the United Nations Secretary-General requesting that it be considered at the next session of the General Assembly, with a view to the Assembly deciding to:

            a. “Provide the technical cooperation, financial support, and specialized assistance that Mexico requires in the areas of search, forensic analysis, and comprehensive investigation of allegations of enforced disappearances and links between public officials and organized crime;” and,

            b. “Establish an effective mechanism to clarify the truth and provide assistance and protection to families searching for their loved ones, as well as to the organizations and defenders supporting them.”

8. Unfortunately, the Government of Mexico has interpreted the CED resolution as an attack. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior have repeatedly stated that the government disagrees with the procedure initiated by the CED, arguing that there is no basis to presume widespread and systematic practice of enforced disappearance throughout the national territory.

9. On May 12, 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres transmitted the Mexican case to all UNGA Member States through note A/80/737. The case is currently listed under agenda item 71, “Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,” which is normally considered by the Third Committee, and is expected to be discussed in October–November 2026.

10. The CED’s finding that there are well-founded indications that enforced disappearances have been and continue to be perpetrated in Mexico as crimes against humanity activates the United Nations’ Responsibility to Protect (R2P), in accordance with the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit (A/RES/60/1). In this case, the Responsibility to Protect should begin with States Parties to the Convention, by ensuring that Article 34, which has never been invoked, has an effective procedure to protect all persons from enforced disappearance, both in this and in future cases.

IV. Proposals

1. The families of disappeared persons and the organizations accompanying them consider this procedure a unique opportunity for Mexico to receive the technical and financial support it urgently needs from the international community in addressing a problem whose magnitude exceeds the State’s capacities. This process should under no circumstances be viewed as a trial or an attack against any government, but rather as a means of promoting, beyond legal disputes, a substantive dialogue on the most effective and cooperative ways to address the proliferation of disappearances, both in Mexico and elsewhere in the world.

2. We consider that, in view of the grave crisis of disappearances in Mexico and the ineffectiveness of the mechanisms created so far to resolve and bring an end to it, it is essential to establish extraordinary mechanisms that can enable effective and concrete progress in prevention, search, forensic identification of the numerous victims of this crime, as well as their access to truth and justice.

3. This is the first occasion on which the CED has activated Article 34, and there is no clear procedure for following up on such an activation within the General Assembly. It would therefore be appropriate first to consider the desirability of establishing such a procedure. To this end, we suggest that the following options be considered in the Third Committee:

            That one or more States adopt and promote the matter before the Third Committee, initially through motions to agree on a procedure for the implementation of Article 34 of the Convention.

            Such a procedure could be defined by an independent commission or expert appointed for this purpose, which would prepare a proposal in follow-up to the request of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, in consultation with States Parties to the Convention, including Mexico; experts in the field, including the CED; and victims’ collectives and civil society organizations in Mexico.

           That the Third Committee adopt the proposal of the independent commission and allocate sufficient resources for its urgent implementation.

4. It is essential that States friendly to Mexico promote bilateral dialogue with the Mexican government, as well as dialogue within the Third Committee itself. The matter should be approached from a positive perspective and as an opportunity for Mexico. The objective should be for Mexico to adopt a collaborative position, engage in dialogue, and join in the construction of an agreement.

5. We consider this to be a medium-term process in which human rights organizations are prepared to provide technical input for the development of a draft resolution that will help curb disappearances in Mexico, bring truth and justice closer to the thousands of victims, and contribute to creating conditions for peace and economic and social development based on an effective rule of law that promotes human rights.

6. Organizations and family collectives are preparing advocacy actions in connection with the upcoming session of the General Assembly, including:

•        Meetings with diplomatic missions in New York;
•        Meetings with United Nations independent experts;
•        Organization of dialogue spaces with families of disappeared persons at side events.

Endorsements to this Proposal

Collectives of Families of Disappeared Persons

1. Ágape por la Libertad y el Respeto a la Vida 
2. Asociación de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos de Choluteca, Honduras (AFAMIDEH)
3. Asociación de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos de Guatemala (AFAMIDEG)
4. Asociación Hondureña de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos “Amor y Fe” (AHFAMIDEAF)
5. Colectivo Casa de la Esperanza (Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua)
6. Colectivo Caso Pirasol 
7. Colectivo Colibrí 
8. Colectivo de Búsqueda de B.C.
9. Colectivo en Busca de Nuestros Desparecidos en Navolato, Sinaloa
10. Colectivo En Búsqueda de Verdad y Justicia, Tepic, Nayarit
11. Colectivo Esposas y Familiares de Agentes de Seguridad Estatales Detenidos y Desaparecidos por Militares en 1977 en Culiacán, Sinaloa
12. Colectivo Familiares Desaparecidos de Chihuahua
13. Colectivo Justicia y Esperanza de San Luis de la Paz, Gto
14. Colectiva Memoria, Verdad y Justicia, Acapulco, Chilpancingo 
15. Colectivo Oaxaqueños Buscando a los Nuestros A.C.
16. Colectivo Renacer, Nuevo León
17. Colectivo Renacer Por Amor a Ellos, Nayarit
18. Colectivo Siguiendo Tus Pasos, Ensenada, Baja California 
19. Colectivo Uniendo Corazones, Culiacán, Sinaloa 
20. Colectivo Uniendo Esperanzas – Estado de México 
21. Colectivo Voz de los Desaparecidos en Puebla
22. Colectivo 10 de Octubre (Parral, Chihuahua)
23. Colectivo Zapotengo Pochutla, Oaxaca 
24. Comité de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos del Centro de Honduras (COFAMICENH)
25. Comité de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos de El Progreso, Honduras
26. Comité de Familiares de Migrantes Desaparecidos de Pespire (COFAMIDEPES)
27. Comité de Familiares de Migrantes Fallecidos y Desaparecidos de El Salvador COFAMIDE
28. Desaparecidos Justicia AC, Querétaro
29. Esposas Buscadoras México 
30. Familia en Búsqueda María Herrera de Chilpancingo, Gro
31. Familiares de Derechos Humanos 
32. Familias Unidas Buscando a Nuestros Desaparecidos, Junax  K´ontatik
33. Fuerzas Unidas para Nuestros Desaparecidos en Coahuila y México (FUUNDEC-M)
34. Familias Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos en Jalisco, FUNDEJ
35. Hasta Encontrarles, CDMX
36. Madres Buscadoras de Jalisco 
37. Madres Buscadoras de San Quintín, B.C.
38. Madres del Ajusco
39. Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad
40. Rastreadoras de El Fuerte, Sinaloa
41. Resistencia de Ecos Que Siempre Resuenan
42. Red de Madres Buscando a sus Hijos 
43. Sabuesos Guerreros AC
44. Somos Tu Voz, Córdoba, Veracruz 
45. Tu Ausencia Nos Unió Zacatecas AC 
46. Una Luz de Esperanza AC 

Families of disappeared persons

1. Adriana Moreno Becerril
2. Adriana Romero
3. Adriana Romero Sandoval
4. Aida Guzmán
5. Alda Nelly Cruz Balderas
6. Alejandra Cabello  
7. Alejandro Ponce Rangel
8. Alfredo Castillo Gomora
9. Ana Lucía Gasca Boyer mamá de RICARDO ARTURO LAGUNES GASCA
10. Ana Luisa Rivera
11. Ángel de Jesús Torres Lazarin
12. Angélica García Sierra 
13. Angélica María Hernández Barrios 
14. Angelina Jiménez Gámez
15. Araceli Arias Duran
16. Araceli Reyes Hernández
17. Araceli Rodríguez 
18. Arantza Molina Márquez
19. Arlette Rangel Ortiz
20. Artemisa Ramírez Ortiz
21. Brenda Ivonne Rangel Ortiz
22. Carmen Hernández Reyes
23. Carolina Jiménez Guerrero
24. Cesar Rangel Ortiz
25. Cindy Román Ramírez
26. Cira Patricia Macías Díaz
27. Claudia Vanessa Gámez Franco, mamá de Ana Amelí García 
28. Daniel Salgado Saucedo
29. Diana Iris García
30. Dionisio Noe Lazarin Sierra, 
31. Dulce Monse
32. Elizabeth Uruchurtu
33. Eloisa Duran
34. Elva Rivas 
35. Elvia Margarita Reyes Rodríguez 
36. Elvira Martínez 
37. Emilio Ponce Rangel
38. Enrique Rangel Ortiz
39. Erick Gutiérrez Ramírez
40. Erick Pineda
41. Esperanza Pérez
42. Esperanza Sabina Quiñones Quiñones
43. Eva Luz Llanes Guerrero 
44. Familiares de Ricardo Lagunes Gasca
45. Gema Antúnez Flores
46. Genaro Ríos Monay
47. Guadalupe Acosta Luna 
48. Guadalupe Aragón Sosa
49. Inés Corona
50. Irma Irene Espinoza Meza 
51. Isela Ramírez Jiménez 
52. Ivonne Elizabeth Donaire Hernández
53. Jasson Omar Cruz Donaire 
54. Jesús Ramírez Funes
55. Jesús Roberto Franco Rangel
56. José Manuel Ramírez Sainz
57. Judith Montes Gaspar
58. Julián Gómez
59. Juliana Verdezco Chaidez
60. Karina Sugei Ochoa Zamora 
61. Leonardo Ponce Rangel
62. Leticia Mora Nieto
63. Letra Pinzón Medina
64. Lizeth Verduzco Chaidez
65. Lluvia Beltrán
66. Luz Dary Calderón Zuluaga 
67. Malenny Lazarin Arellano, 
68. María Candelaria Medina Angulo
69. María del Carmen Bustamante Salas 
70. María del Carmen Rangel Ortiz
71. María de Los Ángeles Rodríguez García
72. María del Pilar García Hernández
73. María del Socorro Martínez Martínez
74. María Guadalupe Aguilar Jauregui
75. María Guadalupe Pérez Ayala 
76. María Isabel Cruz Bernal 
77. María Julia Ramírez Sainz
78. María Luisa Chaidez
79. María Martínez 
80. María Teresa Fuentes Hernández 
81. Maribel del Carmen Pantoja 
82. Marlen Ramírez Jiménez
83. Martha Beatriz Vega Ruiz
84. Marta Pablo Cruz 
85. Martha Rosario Linarte Sánchez
86. Martin Villalobos Valencia
87. Mayra Ivonne Torres Lazarin
88. Mirna Medina 
89. Mirtha Dolores Mendoza Cordero
90. Nancy Paulina Pérez Guerrero 
91. Natalia Antúnez
92. Nora Alicia Gutiérrez Martínez 
93. Nicolás Dávila Pérez
94. Olivia Márquez González
95. Padres y familia de Olin Hernando 
96. Patricia Elizabeth Rosado García 
97. Perla Patricia Rivera Lazarin 
98. Rebeca Gómez
99. Refugio Cangas
100. Renata Simental 
101. Ricardo García Huidobro
102. Ricardo Torres Lazarin
103. Romeo Mendoza
104. Rosa Aidee Retamoza Miranda
105. Rosa Lizbeth Salazar
106. Rosa Imelda Díaz Neris 
107. Sara Díaz Herrera  
108. Sara H. de Ramírez Duarte, integrante del Comité Eureka 
109. Socorro Gil Guzmán
110. Teresita Santillanes 
111. Tommy Aguilar
112. Verónica Rosas Valenzuela
113. Verónica Solís Montiel
114. Víctor Manuel García Herrera
115. Viviana Lazarin Sierra 
116. Yubel Gastelum Gastelum

Human Rights Organizations

1. Agua y Vida: Mujeres, Derechos y Ambiente
2. Amnistía Internacional
3. AMUMRA – Asociación Civil de Derechos Humanos Mujeres Unidas Migrantes y Refugiadas en Argentina
4. Apuesta Solidaria A.C.
5. Armadillos Ni Un Migrante Menos
6. Artemali Ocoxal
7. Asistencia Legal por los Derechos Humanos A.C. (ASILEGAL)
8. Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic
9. Bloque Latinoamericano sobre Migración
10. Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres A.C.
11. Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas
12. Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Francisco de Vitoria OP
13. Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios
14. Centro de Derechos Humanos Victoria Diez, A.C.
15. Centro de Investigación de Crímenes Atroces (CICA)
16. Centro de Justicia para la Paz y el Desarrollo (CEPAD)
17. Centro Regional de Defensa de Derechos Humanos José María Morelos y Pavón
18. Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño AC  
19. CIVICUS
20. Colectivo de Federaciones y Organizaciones Mexicanas Migrantes COLEFOM
21. Comisión de Derechos Humanos y Laborales del Valle de Tehuacán
22. Comisión Mexicana para la Defensa y Promoción de Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH)
23. Consultora Solidaria S.C.
24. Corporación Sisma Mujer (Colombia)
25. Defensores por la justicia
26. Derechos Humanos Integrales en Acción (DHIA)
27. Despacho Jurídico Lic., Lorena González
28. Deutsche Menschenrechtskoordination Mexiko / Coordinación Alemana por los Derechos Humanos en México
29. Equipo de Reflexión, Investigación y Comunicación
30. Equipo Jurídico por los Derechos Humanos
31. Frontera con Justicia AC (Casa del Migrante, Saltillo)
32. Fundación Mónica Alejandrina por los Derechos Humanos
33. Fundación para el Debido Proceso (DPLF)
34. Fundación para la Justicia y el Estado Democrático de Derecho (FJEDD)
35. Global Exchange
36. Global Rights Advocacy
37. H.I.J.O.S. México
38. Initiative Mexiko
39. Instituto de Defensa Legal – IDL (Perú)
40. Instituto de Investigación y Práctica Social y Cultural A.C. IIPSOCULTA
41. Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, A. C.
42. Instituto para las Mujeres en la Migración, A.C. (IMUMI) 
43. Justicia Transicional en México, A.C. (JTMX)
44. Mira Feminismos y Democracias
45. Movimiento de Cristianas Comprometidas con las Luchas Populares 
46. Mujeres en Defensa de La Mujer A.C
47. Mujeres indígenas por CIARENA AC
48. NEXO D.H.
49. Oficina en Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos (WOLA)
50. Pacta Servanda e. V. Múnich, Alemania
51. Pastoral Social, Iglesia Anglicana de México 
52. Red de Investigadoras Por la Vida y la Libertad de las Mujeres
53. Red Europea de Comités Oscar Romero
54. Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos “Todos los Derechos para Todas, Todos y Todes” (Red TDT)
55. Red por los Derechos de la Infancia en México (REDIM)
56. Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center
57. Sinergia por La Paz
58. Sin Fronteras IAP
59. Task Force on the Americas-National Lawyers Guild
60. Tejiendo Redes Infancia
61. Tribunal Internacional de Conciencia de los Pueblos en Movimiento;
62. Unidos por La Paz, La Defensa de las Personas y los Derechos Humanos A.C.
63. Voces Mesoamericanas, Acción con Pueblos Migrantes AC
64. Witness at the Border 

People in solidarity, activists, and academics

1. Anna Karolina Chimiak
2. A Palma
3. Alfredo Limas Hernández, profesor universitario, Cd. Juárez
4. Alma Janet Rojas Reyes
5. Ana Gabriela Aspuru Eguiluz
6. Ana Luisa Romo Díaz
7. Andrea de la Serna Alegre
8. Angélica de la Peña Gómez
9. Arturo Carrasco Gómez
10. Camilo Pérez-Bustillo
11. Clara Jusidman
12. Cruz Silva Del Carpio
13. Daniel Rodríguez Velázquez UNAM
14. Daniela Oliver Ruvalcaba, docente CCH-UNAM
15. Edgar Cortez
16. Elena Azaola
17. Eloísa González Hidalgo
18. Ernesto López Portillo
19. Hansel Gael López Angulo
20. Inti Naxhielii Barrios Hernández
21. Ita Hernández Loza
22. Jacobo Dayán
23. Jacqueline L’Hoist
24. Janekeith Orliden Durán Barberena (Costa Rica)
25. Javier Sicilia
26. Jesica Araceli Maldonado Uitz
27. José Luis Manzo Ramírez
28. Juana Piliado Martines
29. Julián Vázquez Guzmán
30. Laura Carlsen
31. Lesly Noemi González Ochoa
32. Leticia Pinzón Medina
33. Liliana Vázquez Roa
34. Lucía Leonor González Enríquez
35. Manuel Ángel Castillo
36. María de Jesús López José
37. María Guadalupe Valdez Meza
38. María Lourdes Cervantes
39. María Luisa Gómez Osnaya
40. María Luisa Núñez Barojas. Defensora de Derechos Humanos
41. María Salvadora Coronado Navarro
42. Mariann Santos Van Hoozer
43. Martha Beatriz Vega Ruiz
44. Mat Gossner
45. Michael W Chamberlin
46. Miriam Castañeda Hernández
47. Nadia Julissa Araujo Velázquez
48. Nora Martínez Lázaro/Defensora de DH
49. Olivia Rosales Nápoles
50. Oscar Miguel Calderón Calderón
51. Paola Clericó Medina RJM
52. Pablo Ramírez Obando
53. Pedro Castañeda Jiménez
54. Rafael Castelán Martínez
55. Raymundo Molina Martínez
56. Revdo. Dr. Samuel Murillo Torres, Programas de Pacificación Concilio Mundial Metodista
57. Salvador Hernáncez Yáñez
58. Teodomira Rosales Sierra
59. Teresa Ávila