Relatives of Missing Mexican Students Say US-Backed Drug War Is Fueling the Violence Amy Goodman - Democracy Now!
go to original April 30, 2015

Family members of some of the 43 students missing in the Mexican state of Guerrero have traveled across the United States in caravans, calling for President Obama to stop funding the Mexican drug war. After the caravans converged in New York City, the relatives marched to the United Nations Sunday to mark seven months since their loved ones disappeared.

The Mexican government has said the students were attacked by municipal police operating under the orders of Iguala Mayor José Luis Abarca, then turned over to drug gang members, who killed and incinerated them. But only one of the 43 students’ remains have been identified, and the parents continue to believe their children are alive.

Last week, ahead of Sunday’s march, we were joined in our New York City studio by relatives of three of the missing students: María de Jesús Tlatempa Bello, mother of José Eduardo Bartolo Tlatempa; Clemente Rodríguez Moreno, father of Christian Alfonso Rodríguez Telumbre; and Cruz Bautista Salbador, uncle of Benjamín Ascencio Bautista. Special thanks to Alex Franco for translating.

You can find out more about the Caravan 43 campaign on their website and social media.

Read the transcript at Democracy Now!

Photo: Caravan43NYC/Facebook

Related: Mexico-Ayotzinapa: Effectiveness of International Caravans by Parents of Disappeared Students (Mexico Voices)

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