The university is joining forces with the state government to combat disappearances

ITESO Editorial Team

The disappearance of people, whether forced or at the hands of private individuals, is one of the most serious and painful problems in the country, and Jalisco is no exception. The state long held the number one spot nationally for missing persons, and while it now ranks second only to the State of Mexico, it remains a major issue that needs to be addressed. With the aim of joining forces to combat this problem, ITESO and the State Government signed a collaboration agreement formalizing the exchange of experiences on the subject and a collaboration that has already been underway in practice.

The agreement between the university —through the Francisco Suárez, SJ University Center for Dignity and Justice (CUDJ)— and the State Government —represented by the Jalisco Commission for the Search for Missing Persons— is the formalization of joint work on a topic that, during the protocol ceremony, was described by Alexander Zatyrka, SJ, rector of ITESO, as “especially relevant due to the seriousness of the situation of disappearance of persons, a phenomenon that wounds society as a whole.”

According to official figures, the rector cited, there are currently 133,000 missing persons in Mexico, 16,000 of them in Jalisco. “Official figures give an idea, but they don't include all cases and don't reflect the impact on families, their finances, and their time,” said Zatyrka Pacheco, adding that this state of vulnerability is exacerbated when those searching for their loved ones have to face “the lack of empathy from the authorities.”

With this background as a framework, Zatyrka mentioned that the agreement aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences—the CUDJ has published guides and manuals to assist citizens in cases of disappearance—, mutual technical assistance, and the development of programs of common interest that will benefit the community. “This alliance is framed within the social commitment present in ITESO’s Mission and Fundamental Orientations, and the apostolic preferences of the Society of Jesus,” added the rector, who concluded his remarks by saying that, beyond the legal aspects, the signing of the agreement “is a human act that demonstrates the will to walk a shared path to make a difference in people’s lives and accompany them in the search for their loved ones.”

Salvador Zamora Zamora, Secretary of the Government of Jalisco, agreed that the agreement “transcends signatures and seals: it is a human act.” The official said that since the beginning of the administration, they have focused their efforts on addressing the public's demand for security, and specifically on the phenomenon of disappearances, work that has been reflected in a decrease in reports. “Today we have a solid methodology, better-trained teams, and a better institutional response, which are reflected in numbers with a downward trend and significant progress.” He said that this year there has been a 16 percent reduction compared to 2014 and a 43 percent reduction compared to 2019. He added that this is in addition to “greater effectiveness in locating missing persons, with an increase of 60.4 percent.”

Even with the progress, Zamora said, “we have a significant challenge ahead, so we are focused on working as a team.” In that regard, he added, the signing of the agreement is further evidence that “when the government and the university join forces, society gains in confidence, results, and hope,” he concluded.