Missing Striking Teachers from CNTE Found in Chiapas; Prosecutor’s Office Investigates Alleged Extortion

ByElio Henríquez

This article by Elio Henríquez originally appeared in the May 28, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. The State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) reported that teachers Gabriel Díaz Ordóñez and Timoteo Gómez Tamayo, who had been reported missing by Section 7 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE), belonging to the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), were found “safe and sound”.

In a brief statement, he explained that the teachers, members of the Sectional Executive Committee, were located on Thursday night on the highway section located between the municipalities of Tonalá and Ocozocoautla.

He added that “more details of the investigation will be released in the coming hours” regarding this case.

After learning the news of the location of his colleagues, the leader of Section 7, Isael González Vázquez, demanded from the FGE a “thorough and responsible investigation to clarify exactly what happened” in this case.

He noted that the teachers left Tapachula in the morning for Tuxtla Gutiérrez and then their whereabouts were unknown; “extortion calls were received asking for money.

Of course, we did what was necessary, demanding that the state government present them to us alive.” He commented that “our colleagues in Tapachula filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office to formalize this, and it is not a political matter; we deeply regret what happened.”

“We were just informed that they have been found. They are being taken to the anti-kidnapping prosecutor’s office to give their statements and for everything related to the investigation process.”

He added, “They’ll let us know shortly so we can meet our colleagues who are alive. We’re going to make sure they’re okay and hopefully they haven’t been harmed.”

He recalled that “all this is happening within the context of the outbreak of the national strike,” scheduled for June 1st.