The Government of Jalisco delivered a public apology on Thursday in Guadalajara, complying with a 2023 recommendation from Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). The act acknowledged institutional omissions tied to disappearances from 2010, a message intended for families and the collectives that have pressed for accountability.
Officials framed the moment as a step toward closing a historic debt. State Secretary General Salvador Zamora said the apology recognized those omissions “facing the victims and their families,” casting it as an overdue acknowledgment from the state. Families listened, and some welcomed the words. Many also asked what comes next.
What the apology covers
According to the CNDH’s Recommendation 167/2023, the state was urged to admit institutional responsibility for violations of the right of access to justice in four cases: Dalia Guadalupe Cruz Guerrero, Luis Ramón Enciso Ramírez, Emilia Carolina Naranjo García, and Bernardo Sedano Vilchiz. The recommendation also cited harm to the families’ right to truth and personal integrity.
Those disappearances occurred in September 2010 near the Jalisco–Zacatecas boundary. The apology aimed to recognize errors attributed to the then-state attorney’s office and to mark a different posture going forward. For families who have carried photographs and case files for fifteen years, the symbolism was powerful but incomplete.
Families say words are not enough
From the stage and afterward, relatives and collectives described why an apology matters—and why it falls short. They cited years of omissions and re-victimization, recalling how public ministries and police once treated families “rudely,” minimizing their pleas. Some see better treatment today, “more human” in tone, but insist that the core struggle continues.
Ana Rosa Vázquez Arce of Familias Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos Jalisco (FUNDEJ) called the apology insufficient on its own. Her message was blunt: politeness is not justice, and recognition without deadlines risks becoming another ceremony that fades. The collective said it will issue its full position after reviewing the act and any follow-up the state proposes.
“You are not alone” and the demand for truth
During the event, relatives shared testimonies that placed names and relationships ahead of case numbers. Rosalina Michelle Sedano Chávez, daughter of Bernardo Sedano Vilchiz, told others living the same reality that they are not alone, and called for truth, justice, and memory. The plea captured the gap between apology and closure: people still missing, answers still pending.
The state’s message emphasized acknowledgment of past failures. Families’ message emphasized measurable commitments—search actions, case progress, and sustained support. Both occupied the same room. Only one can change the family’s daily reality.
Where pressure shifts after the apology
The government fulfilled the public-apology element of the CNDH recommendation. Rights groups want the rest: tangible steps and timelines families can hold in their hands. FUNDEJ and other collectives signaled they will keep up the pressure, making it clear that the Jalisco apology over disappearances is not the end point.
The ceremony, held on August 14 in Guadalajara, acknowledged 2010 failings and validated the pain of relatives who have waited for answers. Its measure will be taken not in headlines but in casework and support that follows. Until then, families will continue organizing, documenting, and reminding authorities that an apology without action is only a beginning.
