Front of the People – Red Sun, Mexico: News Bulletin

We hereby share an unofficial translation of the news bulletin by the Front of the People – Red Sun published on May 14.

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On May 9, 10, and 11, together with the United Collectives and Organizations platform in Oaxaca, we joined the nationwide activities organized by thousands of searching mothers and families across the country, making it clear that the wave of outrage over the phenomenon of disappearances in Mexico cannot be stopped or silenced in any way.

In Oaxaca, this was a unified day of action that included the Vigil for Our Disappeared (May 9), the Rally for Visibility and Remembrance (May 10), and the Protest Rally at the gates of the Palace of Infamy (Translator’s Note: referring to the Palace of Government) (May 11).

On the afternoon of Monday the 11th, the FRONT OF THE PEOPLE – RED SUN took to the streets in a combative march that set out from the “Not one more woman – Anti-Monument” (Translator’s note: anti-monument is a monument with a protest spirit set up by the protesters) toward the city’s main square, where a rally was held. Hundreds of red flags and banners showing the faces of the disappeared were displayed along the avenues, led by the face of Dr. Ernesto Sernas García, who was disappeared by the Mexican State on May 10, 2018, in San Agustín de las Juntas, Oaxaca.

The march was joined by the very mothers and families of the disappeared with whom we spent the entire day, carrying the faces of their missing daughters and sons. The mothers decided to join this combative demonstration, shouting the names of each of the victims of disappearance and putting the name and face of Dr. Sernas García on the walls so that those who took him from us would have to hear and see him everywhere. In other states across the country, there were also actions demanding the safe return of Dr. Ernesto Sernas García on the 8th anniversary of his forced disappearance.

Who is Dr. Ernesto Sernas García?

Dr. Sernas is a professor at the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca (UABJO), an essayist, lecturer, and researcher. The most recent cases he represented as a defense attorney were the defense of the political prisoners of June 7, 2015, and his support for the displaced Triqui families from San Miguel Copala. His disappearance coincided with a crucial moment in the criminal proceedings against 23 activists accused of terrorism and possession of explosives reserved for the Mexican army, whom Dr. Sernas was legally representing.

Comrade Ernesto Sernas García belongs to a generation of democratic activists who, with class consciousness and a deep love for the people, laid the groundwork for the formation of the “Current of the People – Red Sun,” which, following its Second Political Congress, has taken a significant step forward by rebranding itself as the FRONT OF THE PEOPLE – RED SUN.

Can you see us, Sheinbaum?

During the national activities, the searching mothers and families have once again rebuked Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, who, since taking office and to this day, has refused to meet with the families of the disappeared.

Recently, various international organizations have spoken out regarding the phenomenon of disappearances in Mexico: the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances activated the procedure under Article 34 of the Convention; Amnesty International called for a national emergency to be declared; and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has highlighted in its report the serious crisis afflicting the country.

The official figures provided by the Mexican government, despite being made up, speak for themselves: more than 132,500 missing persons, more than 72,000 unidentified bodies — a count that was suspended by presidential order at the end of Lopez Obrador’s six-year term — and thousands of clandestine graves throughout the country.

Sheinbaum neither sees nor hears the searching mothers and families. Sheinbaum only sees and hears the big monopolies that still determine the country’s fate. For this reason, the searching mothers and families in Oaxaca and throughout Mexico have made their position clear during this campaign: “IF THEY ARE NOT BROUGHT BACK, THE BALL WILL CEASE ROLLING.”

The collectives of searching mothers and families across Mexico are preparing for a tough day of raising awareness and protests in the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joining the call for a boycott launched by the democratic teachers’ union and revolutionary organizations.

On this 8th anniversary of his enforced disappearance, we pay tribute to our comrade Dr. Ernesto Sernas García, and we demand that the Mexican State comply with Urgent Action 540/2018 of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, as well as Recommendation 01/2023 of the DDHPO.