No Substantial Progress in Investigation: Parents of The 43 After Meeting with President Sheinbaum

ByMexico Solidarity

This article by Jared Laureles, Alma Muñoz, and Emir Olivares originally appeared in the September 4, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. The parents of the 43 Ayotzinapa students said they felt “disappointed” upon leaving the National Palace, because almost 11 years after their disappearance, “we have no substantial progress” on the investigations or the whereabouts of the students, said Isidoro Vicario, part of the legal team supporting the families.

At the end of the fifth meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum, which lasted two hours, he emphasized: “The government owed us a lot today so that the investigations could move forward.”

In the morning, the head of the federal executive branch had anticipated that they would provide the families with progress on the analysis of phone calls, which had not been further investigated.

“That is what we, the parents, were also hoping for: at least some significant progress right now on this line of work related to the cell phone line, based on the new scientific work team that was formed.”

“Yes, there is a line of investigation, but there’s no progress. That’s what we were also hoping for, that they would at least give us significant progress right now with this line of investigation involving cell phones, based on the new scientific work team that was formed,” the lawyer added.

Mario González, father of student César Manuel, pointed out that with the new technology they intend to use in the case, “they’ve abandoned the lines of investigation we’ve been pursuing for 10 years,” including the more than 800 pages the Army has in its possession and which, he believes, may contain important information that could lead to the students’ whereabouts.

Parents of the 43 Ayotzinapa students upon their arrival at the National Palace. Photo: Jair Cabrera Torres

Is this a setback then? he was asked.

“Probably so, because we abandoned the lines of investigation that were truly yielding results little by little and we delved into lines of investigation supposedly using new technology.”

Emiliano Navarrete, father of student José Ángel, criticized the fact that “the State continues to protect the former officials involved in the disappearance of our children.”

Regarding the Ayotzinapa special prosecutor’s office, headed by Mauricio Pazarán, attorney Isidoro Vicario stated that he “has not been able to consolidate” his team.

He said that the cases regarding the disappearance of the 43 students “have been dropped” because “there has not been a good integration of the investigative body. This is not only the responsibility of the Judiciary, but to support a valid accusation, it needs to be integrated with compelling evidence.”

The students’ families indicated that the next meeting with President Sheinbaum could take place next November.