Disappearances Rise in the Mexican State of Chiapas

Chiapas’ attorney general, Olaf Gómez, acknowledged an increase in reported disappearances in the southern state of Mexico. The recent case of teacher Berni Flor Mejía, kidnapped by armed men and later found dead, highlights the ongoing situation. The uptick in disappearances coincides with conflicts among organized crime groups near the Chiapas border and the recent feminicide. Gómez mentioned a joint operations base set up at the border with Guatemala, led by the Mexican army. While investigations into Mejía’s case continue, Gómez stated that, being a feminicide, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR). Most disappearances are noted near Chiapas’ borders with Guatemala and the Mexican states of Tabasco and Oaxaca.