PBI-Mexico accompanies National March in Mexico City against the forced disappearance of persons in lead-up to FIFA World Cup

Photo by Cerezo Committee.

On May 30, the Cerezo Committee posted on social media: “We wrapped up the march and activities for International Week of the Detained and Disappeared; the Zócalo had more police than dignity—long live FIFA!”

During the march, Hector Cerezo posted on social media: “We remain surrounded by Mexico City government police. We are next to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. We are not allowed to enter the Zócalo; we are confined to the protest site in front of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. We hold the head of government responsible for the increased repression.”

Video still by Cerezo Committee.

Less than two weeks later, on June 10, the Cerezo Committee also posted on social media: “A government blockade in Mexico City to prevent the march of families of people who have been forcibly disappeared or abducted by private individuals from reaching the soccer stadium.”

This again was in the context of the FIFA World Cup that began the following day, June 11, and will continue to July 19, 2026.

The German news service Deutsche Welle also reports: “Contingents of teachers, relatives of the disappeared and students converged early this Thursday [June 11] in the vicinity of the stadium, but they were met with a heavy police deployment. …’Mexico champion in disappearance!’ was one of the most repeated chants by the demonstrators, from different groups that share a rejection of Mexico hosting another World Cup while facing the violence of organized crime.”

This huge strike and day of mobilization was reportedly organized by the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) and the mobilizations of collectives of relatives and mothers searching for disappeared persons.

Ahead of this, Amnesty International Amnesty announced that it would act as an observer during the protest and reiterated its concern about the risks faced by women human rights defenders in Mexico.

#FútbolConMemoria

PBI-Mexico also accompanies Espacio OSC.

On June 9, Espacio OSC posted: “Within the framework of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Mexico-United States-Canada, the Space of Civil Society Organizations for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (Espacio OSC) launched the #FútbolConMemoria [Soccer With Memory] campaign, an initiative that seeks to vindicate the memory of those who have been victims of violence for exercising their rights to defend rights and freedom of expression.”

According to official figures, more than 130,000 missing people are registered in Mexico. Demographics of this number are not available, so it is not presently known how many of the forcibly disappeared are union members or organized workers, though they are at risk in this context.

We continue to follow this.