Celebration of May 5, 2023 at EPA. Photo: Gerardo Herrera P360
Girls, boys, women and men of all ages gathered this Sunday, May 7, in a joyful environment at the Cinco de Mayo Latin Festival, organized by the Latin Committee of East Palo Alto, which allowed us to celebrate and commemorate an emblematic date for the Mexican people, the Battle of Puebla.
Wearing folkloric costumes, masks, flags and big smiles, dance and art groups marched from the elementary school at the intersection of Clarke and Donohoe streets to Bell Street Park, located at the corner of Bell Street and University Ave. in East Palo Alto.
Residents and neighbors joined this parade, some on foot, others on bicycles, in strollers, but all wanting to celebrate.
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The park was filled with people of all ages who were able to spend some time together to the rhythm of music, mariachis, history, art and culture.
The national anthems of the United States and Mexico kicked off the celebration. The band La Exclusiva from San José opened the dance floor, followed by the mariachi Coalcoman, and the groups Hermanos de Oro, Rebelión Musical, Austeros Musical, Musical Fuerza Alterna, Las Copas del Sabor, and Insignia.
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There was no shortage of snacks. Attendees were able to enjoy delicious food, as well as buy crafts and other items made by residents.
Non-profit organizations also participated in the Latin celebration, which also included raffles, cultural presentations, history and general information about the city.
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Now we will have to wait another year to be able to enjoy the festivities that fill the city of East Palo Alto with identity and flavor.
The transgender community in the United States is facing a cultural war, but also a political one, by implementing laws that go against their rights and that put their health and their families at risk, forcing them to change their residence in search of a better life.
Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, a nonprofit that advocates for the civil rights and protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer residents of Florida, expressed concern about the laws that transgender people face, in particular, the prohibition of medical care for transgender youth and children because it puts their lives at risk, and where if care is provided, the doctor is criminalized.
In response to this, he called for unity in society during a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services, where she stressed that "that is the real problem, we are fighting against the definition of freedom, we are fighting against the definition of democracy and we all have a role here, you don't have to know a transgender person to be able to understand them."
For his part, Gene Wu, representative of the state of Texas, stressed that "Legislators always seek to bother small groups that do not have a large representation and that, just as they hurt the transgender community today, tomorrow they will seek to harm another group in society, so, in this situation, the only viable thing is unity and respect."
"I think it's important for people to care about these issues and say, 'I'm not transgender and I may not have transgender friends, but they have the right to live their life the way they want, consult their own doctors, consult their own families, and they have the right to do what they think is necessary to stay alive and happy. Just like I have the right to do what I think is right and take care of my own body,'" she said.
Sailor Jones, associate director of Common Cause North Carolina, said that laws against the transgender community are damaging to families and individuals, while becoming a repression of their personality, not to mention the psychological damage they cause.
«We know that most transgender and non-binary youth think that these debates around transgender issues are impacting their mental health in a negative way. We know that almost half of young people have suffered bullying on social media.»
Sailor Jones shows her concern for young people who face bullying and ridicule in their environment, which leads them to the easiest and most regrettable way out, which is suicide.
Finally, Susan Maasch, founder of the Trans Youth Equality Foundation, recalled that families supporting the transgender community face various problems.
He added that the fear of the families is due to the harsh laws that are applied, and the hatred in schools and in society. Today, hundreds of people take their cars with the bare necessities, sell their things and leave their homes in search of a better place.
In addition, medical concerns are the most common among experts. Many boys and girls decide to begin treatment for gender transformation. However, it is a delicate subject and requires a special process, so a doctor must be at the family's side to achieve success.
“Politicians have not done their homework and have not helped, and that is outrageous because there are discussions about forcing children to stop taking hormones that they have been given for a month, without understanding how complex this hormone system is, the dangers, the depression, the despair that children are going to feel, as well as being able to develop suicidal thoughts and everything that parents and politicians will go through when they decide that they cannot seek care, while doctors can be prosecuted by the prosecutor's office if they offer their support,” added Susan Maasch.
While politicians are making noise to get attention with laws that violate the rights of transgender people, American citizens are asking them to address more important issues that really affect society and are truly necessary. However, while the demands are being heard, the transgender community faces very complicated challenges.
It is worth noting that without the empathy, support and attention of governments and society, transgender youth and their families face very difficult economic and discrimination situations that end up forcing them to leave their homes or, in some cases, the most common way out is suicide.
The data indicates that 82 percent of those have thought about committing suicide, while 40 percent have attempted it.
El pasado 6 de mayo, autoridades de diversas ciudades del Área de la Bahía llevaron a cabo la recompra de armas de fuego, donde, gracias al entusiasmo de los residentes, se pudieron recabar 264 armas de fuego.
En el evento llevado a cabo en el estacionamiento del juzgado del norte del condado, ubicado en el 1050 de Mission Road en el sur de San Francisco, de 10:00 a 14:00 horas, se recogió un total de 264 armas de fuego, incluidas 9 armas de asalto y 4 armas «fantasma», que son imposibles de rastrear.
El evento, fue con la finalidad de recomprar de forma segura y anónima armas de fuego que los miembros de la comunidad ya no necesitaban o querían.
«Al participar en este evento, está ayudando a mantener nuestras comunidades más seguras al reducir la cantidad de armas en circulación», señaló en su momento la alguacil del condado de San Mateo,
En el evento participaron la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de San Mateo, el Departamento de Policía de South San Francisco, el Departamento de Policía de San Bruno, el Departamento de Policía de Daly City, el Departamento de Policía de Colma, y la organización Ciudadanos por la Recompra de Armas del Condado de San Mateo.
De acuerdo con las autoridades, cientos de personas entregaron armas, y sin hacer preguntas recibieron 50 dólares en efectivo por armas de fuego que no funcionaban, 100 dólares en efectivo por pistolas, escopetas o rifles, y 200 dólares en efectivo por armas de asalto y «armas fantasma».
Un evento de recompra de armas adicional está previsto para finales de 2023, en el sur del condado de San Mateo.
A 65-year-old Sunnyvale woman has died in a crash in Mountain View that occurred on northbound U.S. Highway 101 Saturday morning, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.
A Sig alert has been issued and the two right lanes of U.S. 101 are blocked as officers investigate the crash, which was reported around 6:45 a.m. Saturday.
A white sport utility vehicle crashed at the Ellis intersection, according to CHP Officer Art Montiel.
"The information is preliminary, but it appears that a white Nissan Rogue was traveling northbound on US 101 at the Ellis interchange when, for unknown reasons, the driver lost control of the vehicle," Montiel said.
"The vehicle veered to the right, struck the barrier, bounced across the highway, struck the center divider, then flew back across the highway and crashed into a tree on the right shoulder," Montiel said.
Medics were transporting the driver, a 65-year-old Sunnyvale woman, to the hospital when "it appears she succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital," Montiel said.
CHP is seeking witnesses to assist in the investigation, Montiel said. Anyone who was in the area and saw what happened is asked to call CHP at (650) 779-2700, the officer said.
Under the name of Angelo Quinto, a new team of mental health experts aboard a van will respond to 911 calls in the city of Antioch that are not violent or life-threatening but that have a mental component.
Antioch officials welcomed the first mental health crisis response team on Monday, named after Angelo Quinto, a resident of Antioch in Contra Costa County who died at the hands of police after being restrained on Dec. 23, 2020.
At a news conference, the city said the team will be the first in a city in the county to respond to mental health emergencies, which were previously handled by the police.
In collaboration with the Felton Institute, the team will respond to non-violent, non-life-threatening 911 calls and will be named after Angelo Quinto, a 30-year-old Antioch resident who died after being restrained by Antioch police on Dec. 23, 2020.
Quinto was suffering from a mental health crisis and was having a dispute with his mother when police arrived at the family home, at which point officers restrained him, knelt on his shoulder, secured his legs and handcuffed him, before calling an ambulance. However, by the time paramedics arrived, Quinto's face was reportedly purple and he was unresponsive.
There was blood on his face and on the ground. Life-saving measures were carried out, but Quinto died later that day in hospital.
The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office declined to file charges against the police last September. And now that office and the FBI are investigating the Antioch Police Department for a series of alleged civil rights violations.
Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe apologized to the Quinto family, saying the incident changed the city and fueled police reform efforts in recent years.
"There are no words that can heal the pain that you are experiencing, but I hope that this gesture here helps you understand that your city is listening to you, your city sees you, we value you and we respect you," Thorpe said.
At the time, Councilwoman Monica Wilson said that while other municipalities in the country have chosen to cut mental health services, the city is looking to make it a priority.
“This investment in a mental health response team will ensure that we never lose a member of our community due to mental health needs. This will ensure that a mental health issue is treated as just that: a mental health issue, not a crime that requires the full force of the police department.”
The annual cost of the crisis response team is estimated at between $1.8 and $2.2 million.
These are the local news from May 6 to 12 that you need to know to stay up to date.
Millions of children and young people are less than two weeks away from leaving for vacation and starting to enjoy days of fun, socializing, but also learning. Summer courses are already being announced everywhere, ranging from art to sports, as well as in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Cooking, helping the environment, or getting involved in community projects are just some of the things parents are looking for to entertain their children this summer.
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The space dedicated to collaborative creation in technology, art and crafts, Makerspace celebrates its first anniversary in the Redwood City Public Library.
The Makerspace opened in early March 2022, following years of effort by the Redwood City Library Foundation, and is open seven days a week.
This collaborative space allows people and groups of all ages to come together to create, experiment and learn about technology, computers, art, science, electronics and sewing, as well as offering a photography class in Spanish.
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Parts of Huddart Park in Woodside will be closed this week due to an annual multi-agency wildfire training.
From May 8-13, fire departments from Redwood City, Woodside and Menlo Park will be using the county park to prepare for this summer's wildfire season.
Residents and park users can expect to see fire trucks and hear equipment in some areas of the park. Helicopters will fly over the area and practice landing and taking off at the site, park officials said.
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This Sunday, May 7, at around 4:30 a.m., a shooting occurred in Redwood City, in the 400 block of Redwood Avenue, where five men were injured, reported the city Police Department.
Authorities said in a statement that an unidentified male suspect approached a group of people drinking on the sidewalk and then opened fire on them with a 9mm handgun, wounding four adult men and a 16-year-old boy.
All of the injured were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
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Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) recognized and celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Castellano Family at an event on May 4 at the De Anza Hotel in downtown San José, a non-profit organization that was born out of luck and love for its roots, and that provided opportunities and support to the Latino community in Santa Clara County for two decades.
At the tribute to the Castellano family, it was announced that their foundation is ending its work and a $1 million fund was allocated to SVCF to support Latinx leadership and Latinx-serving nonprofits in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
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Property taxes collected in San Mateo County totaled $3.3 billion for the 2021-22 fiscal year, an increase of $129 million, or 4 percent, over the prior year for 11 consecutive years. property tax growth.
That's according to the San Mateo County Executive's Office, which noted in a statement that the countywide 1 percent General Tax is vital to public services, totaling $2.7 billion, that local government agencies receive.
About 51 percent of the general taxes collected are distributed to school districts, 26 percent to the county, 15 percent to cities/towns, 7 percent to special districts, and 1 percent to successor agencies. former development agencies.
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As Cinco de Mayo celebrations came to a close, many events were peaceful and most community members and visitors legitimately enjoyed the cultural celebration that has been a tradition in San Jose for decades, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) reported.
He noted that, as in previous years, the Department took preventative measures to ensure the community could celebrate safely. In doing so, SJPD also employed zero tolerance for criminal behavior.
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The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday allocated $1 million to an expansion effort to build affordable housing for local farmworkers.
The funds, from the half-cent sales tax on Measure K, the city said in a statement, will help cover costs for planning, project management and other work.
They also said they are seeking $5 million in state funding from the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program as part of an overall effort to improve living conditions for coastal farmworkers.
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The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to increase penalties for businesses that sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors.
Proposed by County Health, the increased penalties are intended to discourage retailers from risking selling tobacco products to minors and help prevent young people from becoming hooked on nicotine.
In California, 67 percent of current and former smokers report that they started smoking by age 18.
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The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared May as CalFresh Awareness Month to highlight the need for eligible residents to sign up for monthly food assistance.
CalFresh is California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. The program provides monthly food assistance to qualified San Mateo County residents at risk of hunger.
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A home in Redwood City is being investigated by the Belmont Police Department in conjunction with the FBI after it is allegedly linked to the disappearance of a woman in San Mateo County nearly 27 years ago.
Since Wednesday morning, Redwood City residents have witnessed a large police presence at 3789 Farm Hill Blvd., where officers have surrounded the house to search for evidence related to the unsolved case of the sudden disappearance of 42-year-old Ylva Hagner, last seen on October 14, 1996.
The case of the disappearance of the then software executive remained frozen for 27 years, until this Wednesday, when everything seems to be reopened due to new evidence.
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On the steps of City Hall, top black leaders and city officials came together Wednesday to clarify how the city's fentanyl crisis disproportionately affects black San Franciscans.
On National Fentanyl Awareness Day, Phelicia Jones, founder of the organization Wealth and Disparities in the Black Community, took the stage to say she’s tired of seeing the city’s deadly fentanyl epidemic follow an all-too-familiar pattern of homelessness and job insecurity, with Black San Francisco residents bearing the brunt.
A new bill is introduced to help house the homeless, it would give the Santa Clara Valley Water District expanded authority to help thousands of people who live along creeks, creeks and other district land to find housing and services.
District officials say Assembly Bill 1469 would add language to the district’s governing law specifying that it can assist unsheltered people, allowing it to play a more active role in addressing the deepening homelessness crisis in Santa Clara County.
The bill, authored by local Assemblyman Ash Kalra and sponsored by Valley Water, passed the Assembly unanimously on Monday and will next head to the state Senate, though it is unclear when it will be brought to a vote.
Jim Beall, a Valley Water board member since December and a longtime South Bay leader, said that under current law, the district can’t do much more than clean up trash and debris along creeks where homeless people live, which costs about $2.4 million a year.
“We can’t just ask (other government agencies) to do all the work on this, we have to be more proactive and involved,” Beall told San José Spotlight.
Despite efforts by city, county and state governments, the county’s homeless crisis has grown, with roughly 10,000 people without permanent housing in 2022. About 77 percent of those people are unsheltered, meaning they are living outdoors, on the streets or in vehicles, according to Destination: Home.
Valley Water owns and manages 294 miles of streams and habitat. Officials said 2,300 people currently live on district property, often in camps near waterways, which can be dangerous due to flash flooding, among other factors. Human waste and other debris from camps can degrade water quality and animal habitats.
"We want to help people in a more humane way to find housing, places to live and solutions instead of having them live in the creeks where they have a negative impact on the environment," Beall said.
The bill would allow the district to use part of its revenue from an existing 1 percent assessed property value tax to fund outreach, counseling, transitional housing or other services for unsheltered people.
Bart Broome, assistant state government relations officer for Valley Water, said some financial flexibility for the district could go a long way. He said the district would only use a “small portion” of existing tax funds on these efforts, but said it’s too early to determine a number.
“If we can access just a small portion of that, we can do the things that are urgently needed to improve the situation. Not only for the homeless people living along the creek, but also for the neighbors who live around it,” Broome told San Jose Focus.
The bill could also allow the district to use some of its surplus land for housing projects, Beall said, but the timeline for those potential projects is still unclear.
Homeless advocate Richard Scott said Valley Water, San Jose and other government agencies have been “ruthless” in their raids on various encampments in recent years, but he said he is confident in the intent of the bill if Beall leads the effort.
“Jim Beall has always been involved in community mental health,” Scott told San José Spotlight.
Scott said that in addition to creating more permanent affordable and supportive housing, the district should work with the county or cities to quickly invest in temporary solutions.
“What we need right now is to have sanctioned, regulated encampments where people are stable, where advocates and providers can find them, and where they feel safe,” Scott said, similar to Hope Village, which was dismantled in 2019. “You can’t treat a person when they’re under the kind of pressure you have when you’re homeless.”
Good intentions
While pursuing this bill, the water district is also monitoring its nearly $5 million contract with San Jose to clean up people living along about nine miles of Coyote Creek and working to find them services or housing, so the district can begin a major flood prevention project.
Homeless advocate Scott Largent said people living near Coyote Creek and other water district lands were forced into those areas after being pushed out of other parts of the city, such as the Spring Street encampment, sidewalks and underpasses.
"They've been harassed, swept, their RVs towed, everything. People are trying to get further into the creek and trying to be creative and build bunkers or find camouflage," Largent told San José Spotlight.
Broome said Valley Water's intentions are good and the bill would not simply be used to order more mass sweeps of homeless encampments.
“It’s in everyone’s backyard, these public lands are owned by people, it’s everyone’s problem,” Broome said. “We want to do it in a way that actually finds solutions for people, not just moving them from one public land to another.”
This Thursday, May 11, the Title 42 border policy imposed by former President Donald Trump ends. But what was it and what is coming? We explain.
What was Title 42?
Under Title 42, the Customs and Border Protection Office ‒CBP, for its acronym in English‒ prohibited the entry of certain people who "potentially represent a health risk", since this immigration policy was established during the first days of the COVID-19 pandemic, for health reasons.
The order allowed authorities to immediately expel migrants at U.S. land borders, and has since been extended several times, either because of previously announced travel restrictions or because they entered the country illegally in order to “evade medical screening measures.”
Under Title 42, border authorities could immediately expel migrants who entered the U.S. illegally through the Canadian and Mexican borders to the country of last transit.
When Joseph Biden took office, he announced that the policy would end, sparking a debate on immigration in the country.
Thus, the Title 42 immigration policy ends on May 11 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time.
Coming?
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. immigration laws “remain strict and those who do not have grounds to remain in the United States will be removed under Title 8.”
In this regard, he said he would fully enforce U.S. immigration laws again, placing people in deportation proceedings and deporting those who have no reason to remain in the country, in addition to announcing radical changes to reduce illegal immigration.
Unlike Title 42, U.S. immigration laws impose criminal consequences, including final orders of deportation, a five-year reentry ban, and possible criminal prosecution if you attempt to reenter.
Under these laws, individuals and families who arrive without authorization can be quickly expelled.
Through expedited removal, the agency said, non-citizens can be returned to their home country quickly.
He also said that non-citizens can be returned to Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens, as dozens of deportation flights take place every week.
DHS stated on its social media that “migrants who attempt to enter the U.S. illegally will be arrested, investigated, and checked against criminal and other databases. Anyone who poses a threat will be expelled or detained.”
Given this, they suggest legal ways to enter the country.
The lines of migrants at various points on the border with Mexico are growing by the minute, hoping to cross into the United States and have their requests for asylum heard and taken into consideration.
However, the Biden administration has sent more than a thousand additional troops to the US-Mexico border to control the flow of migrants.
According to DHS, the United States expelled more than 1.4 million people in 2022, more than in previous years. In addition, it is noted that asylum laws do not only contemplate economic reasons or general violence.
Phelicia Jones, fundadora de la organización Wealth and Disparities in the Black Community, subió al podio para decir que está cansada de que los problemas de San Francisco afecten más a los residentes negros el 10 de mayo de 2023. (Olivia Wynkoop/ Bay City News)
On the steps of City Hall, top black leaders and city officials came together Wednesday to clarify how the city's fentanyl crisis disproportionately affects black San Franciscans.
On National Fentanyl Awareness Day, Phelicia Jones, founder of the organization Wealth and Disparities in the Black Community, took the stage to say she’s tired of seeing the city’s deadly fentanyl epidemic follow an all-too-familiar pattern of homelessness and job insecurity, with Black San Francisco residents bearing the brunt.
El supervisor de San Francisco, Matt Dorsey, mostró las estadísticas fatales de sobredosis de fentanilo que afectan de manera desproporcionada a los residentes negros en una conferencia de prensa el 10 de mayo de 2023. (Olivia Wynkoop / Bay City News)
En los primeros tres meses de este año, 200 personas han muerto por sobredosis, lo que representa un aumento del 41 por ciento con respecto al mismo período del año pasado, según datos del Departamento de Salud Pública. Y los residentes negros tienen una tasa de sobredosis cinco veces superior a la tasa general de la ciudad, según datos de la ciudad.
«Queremos que San Francisco se preocupe por los negros de San Francisco. Estamos en el fondo de cada incidente en la ciudad y el condado de San Francisco: salud, educación, encarcelamiento masivo, vivienda, empleo… ¿cómo es eso?», dijo Jones en la conferencia.
«Debemos estar en la mesa».
La fiscal de distrito de San Francisco, Brooke Jenkins, muestra su apoyo a los servicios de adicción en una conferencia de prensa celebrada para conmemorar el Día Nacional de Concientización sobre el Fentanilo el 10 de mayo de 2023. (Olivia Wynkoop / Bay City News)
Jones enfatizó que la respuesta no es solo encerrar a los usuarios de drogas o a los pequeños traficantes de drogas, como lo demostraron las iniciativas fallidas de «guerra contra las drogas» que comenzaron en los años 70 y que en su mayoría estaban dirigidas a los afrodescendientes.
«Arrestas a todos los que están drogados, entran en la cárcel, entran en la cárcel para desintoxicarse y luego, antes de que puedan desintoxicarse y llegar a un programa, vuelven a las calles», señaló. «Tiene que ser otro plan».
Jones y otros oradores pidieron el martes a la ciudad que elabore un plan que pueda ayudar a los residentes pobres, sin hogar y con enfermedades mentales, en lugar de criminalizar el uso de drogas y permitir que las adicciones de las personas aumenten aún más.
El jefe de policía de San Francisco, Bill Scott, dijo en una conferencia de prensa el 10 de mayo de 2023 que el arresto de los traficantes de fentanilo debe cumplirse con los servicios de adicción para resolver la crisis de sobredosis de la ciudad. (Olivia Wynkoop / Bay City News)
«Si abres la cortina y miras más profundamente, verás que la verdadera pregunta es si las personas negras, morenas y pobres verán que lo que sucede hoy afectará nuestras vidas, nuestro futuro y nuestra libertad en el futuro», explicó la doctora April Silas de la Red de Niños Sin Hogar. «Esta es una conversación de vida o muerte».
El jefe de policía Bill Scott dijo que responsabilizar a los traficantes de drogas por «traficar veneno en las calles» es un aspecto para resolver la crisis, pero no es la única respuesta.
«Algunas personas no pueden permitírselo, otras no lo quieren, pero necesitan ayuda», dijo Scott. «Ese es el lado de la ecuación donde podemos hacerlo mucho mejor».
«Mientras tengamos demanda, tendremos suministro, eso es solo economía básica», agregó.
El supervisor de la ciudad, Matt Dorsey, dijo que está comprometido a apoyar programas que guíen a las personas hacia la recuperación y las mantengan sobrias. Mencionó sus esfuerzos continuos para realizar cambios en varios departamentos de la ciudad que trabajan en las esferas de la salud pública y la justicia penal para proporcionar más programas que apoyen la sobriedad.
«Al final del día, lo más importante que puedo hacer es regalar la sobriedad que tengo, esa es realmente la lección perdurable de la recuperación», refirió Dorsey, quien se está recuperando de la adicción a las drogas y el alcohol. «Quiero asegurarme de que todos los habitantes de San Francisco que lo necesiten tengan las mismas oportunidades de recuperación que tuve yo, y estaré allí en cada paso del camino para apoyarlo».
La fiscal de distrito de San Francisco, Brooke Jenkins, dijo que la ciudad debe adoptar un enfoque multifacético sobre este problema para mantener seguras a las familias de color y permitir que las personas accedan a los servicios esenciales para la adicción.
«Esto no es algo de lo que podamos salir con llave, podemos encarcelar nuestra salida», destacó Jenkins. «Es asegurarnos de que cuando podamos identificar la causa subyacente de por qué alguien cometió un delito e ingresó al sistema de justicia penal, le demos la opción de tratamiento, y eso es algo que, como su fiscal de distrito, seguiré haciendo».
Being a mother in Mexico, on May 10, mothers from all over the country demonstrated for the more than 110 thousand missing people. Photo: Ingrid Sánchez, P360P
Groups of mothers searching for their missing children, activists, human rights defenders and the general public demonstrated this Wednesday, May 10, in Mexico City for the more than 110,000 missing people in the country.
The disappearances are contextualized in the violence that plagues the country and that began with the beginning of the so-called "War on Drugs" that began during the administration of Felipe Calderón, which, in addition to the disappearances, has left people killed and communities displaced.
"I gave birth to my son to life and he gave birth to me to the struggle. Carlos, wherever you are, I love you, son. I continue to fight," shouted into the microphone Lourdes Mejía, mother of Carlos Sinuhé Cuevas Mejía, a student at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UNAM, assassinated on October 11, 2011.
Video: Ingrid Sanchez P360P
In addition to denouncing that government authorities do not do their job and even hinder investigations, Mrs. Lourdes Mejía denounced that other groups such as the United Nations Organization only assist in the activities carried out by the searching mothers without really supporting or committing to anything.
"Why are you asking me for my phone number?! So that you can kill another of my relatives?!" Lorena Gutiérrez shouted at the UN staff who were at the Angel of Independence rally.
Video: Ingrid Sanchez P360P
The UN members, wearing blue vests, looked tensely at the people gathered around them, summoned by the fury of Lorena Gutiérrez, whose complaints could be heard several metres away, while the rally continued to develop.
Gutiérrez claims that her daughter Fátima Quintana was the victim of a femicide on February 5, 2015. However, due to the fight she undertook against the perpetrators, she suffered serious death threats that forced her and her family to move to Monterrey.
In 2020, her son Daniel died due to negligence on the part of state health authorities who denied him medical care because he did not have any type of social security, precisely because he was a displaced family.
"I am a public figure, they could find me if they wanted, but coincidentally after we give our data to organizations, they persecute us," Lorena denounced.
Coming from states as far away as Chihuahua or Tamaulipas, but also from states bordering Mexico City such as Morelos or the State of Mexico, dozens of mothers reported the disappearance of their sons and daughters.
"May 10 is not a day for celebration, it is a day for struggle and protest," shouted some of those attending the demonstration.
Since at least 2016, groups of searching mothers have decided to take to the streets on May 10 to remind the government and society that not all mothers, nor all children, can celebrate the day, but rather are in the midst of the collective pain that comes with not knowing where their children are.
In some cases, especially those that occurred many years ago, mothers no longer search for their sons and daughters who are still alive, but have resigned themselves to finding the remains of their relatives.
This is the case of Mary Velázquez, mother of Pamela Gallardo, who disappeared in 2017 near Ajusco. Because of this, on the 23rd and 24th, Velázquez and various organizations and activists will carry out a citizen search to find Pamela and other victims of disappearance.
Video: Ingrid Sanchez P360P
Faced with the authorities, who are at best incapable and at worst negligent and complicit, the families have to take on the tasks of investigation and search without receiving a single peso, the mother who searched for the child complained.
"We have an open investigation, but these authorities are asking us as a family to continue to provide evidence for the investigation. We have to provide the evidence, the investigation, and the direction we want the investigation to take," Mary Velázquez stressed.
Velázquez's is not the only search underway; more will be carried out in the State of Mexico and Morelos over the next few weeks.
But, despite everything, this May 10th their bet is not on pain, because their trench continues to be the courage to denounce injustices and to point the finger directly at the guilty.
Mothers, givers of life, now seem to be seekers of death, for they know that they will undoubtedly find remains of people on the missions they organize.
