Chihuahua, Chih. June 9th, 2023.- Today the group of family members of disappeared persons that CEDEHM accompanies met in the Plaza de la Justicia, located in front of the Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) building with the intention of unveiling the antimonument called “Expressing Hope”.

The proposal was planned collectively based on the ideas, feelings and thoughts of family members of disappeared persons from the cities of Parral, Cuauhtémoc and Chihuahua. Over the course of several months, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, worked on this project and their heartache led to this cry of hope, which will remain until their loved ones are found.

This antimonument is a protest that comes from demands and suffering. It is not a decorative element. It is intended to generate reactions, shake, provoke and raise awareness about a wound that won’t close. It does not commemorate a past, it is the appropriation of a public space to create remembrance, denounce and demand justice that has been elusive.

The mural shows two of the sides that are experienced in the face of the disappearance of a family member. On the left side, we have dark colors that represent fear and uncertainty. It is accompanied by the word strength since it is essential to face all the challenges of the search and demand for justice. On the right side, there are lighter colors, to make visible the moments of light that are also experienced through the accompaniment and empathy of the group of family members who are going through the same situation. The word hope is very important, because it is what unites the families, organizations and civil society who walk in this constant fight. The illustration has two people in the center, in a hug, to symbolize the union and love of the reunion.

At the end of the opening, the families will meet with César Jáuregui, Attorney General of the State of Chihuahua, to have a follow-up meeting regarding the way this problem is addressed.

According to the National Registry of Missing and Disappeared Individuals (RNPDNO), as of today, in the state of Chihuahua there are 3,523 disappeared persons. The State has failed to ensure justice, reparations, remembrance and means for effective searching.

The loss of the disappeared has left a void in all of us. We will plant spaces of remembrance, strength and hope until we find them!