What Was Reported About the State's Response?

According to press reports on these four states, 73%, 474 victims, remained disappeared or there was no reported outcome. Only 55 victims (8%) were found alive, while 113 victims (17%) were reported as deceased. This trend varies slightly by state (see fig. 9). In Nuevo Leon, the highest percentage of victims were found alive. In Guerrero, the highest percentage of victims were found deceased. In Coahuila and Jalisco, fewer cases were reported to have been resolved.

Figure 9. Disappearance outcomes in Mexico by state, press reports from 2009 to mid-2018. If the press article did not report an outcome, the victim was assumed to be still missing.

As shown in Figure 10, in nearly three-quarters (71%) of cases, the press did not report any official search being conducted by state officials for the disappeared victim.

Figure 10. Official searches conducted for disappearance victims in Coahuila, Guerrero, Jalisco and Nuevo León, Mexico, press reports from 2009 to mid 2018.

In 89% of cases, the press did not report whether a court case had been initiated for the disappearance (see fig. 11). In 10% of reported disappearances, a total of 62 cases across the four states, the press noted the initiation of a court case. As shown in Figure 12, in 36 of those cases, the press explained that a sentence had been delivered, and in 10 cases they reported a sentence in process; however, only in 18 cases did the press specify the type of sentence, including 16 convictions and two acquittals.

Figure 11. Court cases initiated on behalf of disappearance victims in Coahuila, Guerrero, Jalisco and Nuevo León, Mexico, press reports from 2009 to mid 2018.

Figure 12. Press reporting on state responses to disappearances in Mexico, 2009 to mid-2018.