Horrified by recent discoveries of human remains and clandestine crematoria linked to organized crime, hundreds gathered throughout Mexico on March 15, 2025, to participate in vigils honoring the victims of the Izaguirre ranch found near Teuchitlán, Jalisco.
The gruesome revelations of this supposed extermination and training camp operated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) sent shockwaves across the nation. Victims’ families, activists, and solidarity collectives unified their voices, demanding justice, truth, and memory, as Mexico grapples with a devastating crisis of enforced disappearances.
At 5 PM on Saturday, the main vigil took place at the Zócalo, Mexico City's central plaza, turning it not just to remembrance but to loud outcries for governmental accountability. Participants displayed 400 pairs of shoes – symbolic of those identified at the Izaguirre ranch – and lit candles as acts of respect and mourning.
"For the good of all, listen to us! See us! Now is the time for you to speak to us, the families of the disappeared!" exclaimed members of the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center via social media.
Similar scenes unfolded across the country, including Jalisco, Colima, Aguascalientes, Michoacán, and many other states, where family members of the vanished came together to demand answers.
Describing the events at the ranch, activists reported discovering clandestine ovens used to cremate human bodies. This harrowing find aligned with earlier warnings raised by the Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco collective, which had secured the area following shocking live broadcasts detailing the site’s horrors on March 7.
"President, do not be fooled. We do not belong to any political party, nor do we have any other flags but truth and justice," they declared solemnly from the Zócalo.
Protesters, holding signs proclaiming “Alfaro knew” and “Criminal government,” echoed frustrations at the lack of action from state officials, particularly Jalisco's Governor Enrique Alfaro. Over 14,000 people are reported missing across the state, amplifying the urgency for immediate investigation and resolution.
The outrage did not stop at Mexico City. Vigils, demonstrations, and prayers were replicated nationwide, indicating the deep-seated pain and indignation felt by communities affected by the crisis. From Irapuato's Jardín Principal, where families displayed personal items of the missing, to Querétaro's Plaza de Armas, where participants expressed grief through portraits and rosters of disappeared persons.
“Every light we carry is for each of the 400 souls we believe still deserve justice,” reported attendees across cities from Cuernavaca to Ciudad Juárez, where the heartbreak was palpable. Collectives of missing persons’ families emphasized the unyielding struggle against violence and impunity.
While the Zócalo gathering concluded with thousands leaving candles amid fallen leaves and poignant messages, hopeful yet frustrated activists insisted upon being heard. "We only want our children alive or dead," voiced Laura Bustamante, representative of mothers searching for their missing loved ones. “Just tell us where to find them.”
The unlikely discovery of the ranch unveiled not just the granularity of pain afflicting families but also the negligence exhibited by authorities over the years, where discovery took initiatives from citizens rather than the government. An urgent call for justice was issued time and again, demanding identification processes to be expedited and survivors’ safety to be prioritized.
Archbishop Javier Acero, during mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, urged for immediate action against the rising tide of violence, lamenting the existence of concentrations of horror, akin to concentration camps: "We cannot allow extermination camps anywhere, they are products of complicity. We, as society, must demand justice and respect for life."
On this national mourning day, culminating prayers combined with symbolic acts—whether lighting candles or displaying shoes and clothes from missing individuals—have become expressions of both grief and resistance. With each candle flickering against the backdrop of countless missing, communities across Mexico stand more united than ever.
Continued gatherings are set to center around the ranch's vicinity on March 16, as activists refuse to let silence prevail amid the horror of disappearance. The collective public outcry has reminded both citizens and officials alike: the quest for truth, justice, and recognition must persist until every missing individual is accounted for.