In Mexico, one of the three host countries of the World Cupthere is a record of 134,663 people missing and not located in the period from December 31, 1952 to May 30, 2026.
“Mexico is champion in disappearance“, denounced groups of searching families who – in the vicinity of the Banorte Stadium— They called a day to post files of missing people in Mexican territory. The capital building, a three-time World Cup winner, will host five matches from the FIFAincluding the inaugural duel between Mexico and South Africa that will be played on June 11.
Gabriela Alonso Villarruelmember of the group Seeking Firefliesdenounced that this is not the first time that they have covered the area of the Colossus of Saint Ursula. Same ones that, in the past, were withdrawn by the capital authorities. The words of Gabriela They were accompanied by their jacket Mexican National Team which, on the back, states “133 thousand missing.”
“Specifically, today’s demand is for the government of the Mexico City and the mayor’s office: that the chips not be withdrawn. We will be very careful not to paste them in advertisingbut we need them to also be careful not to remove them and respect the right of missing people to be searched and located,” he stated in an interview for THE UNIVERSAL Sports.
Gabriela He remembered and named his brother’s testimony, Yudhisthirawho disappeared in September 2024 in Mexico City and was found dead—in October of that same year—in the State of Mexico.
“That is the origin of this type of actions: visibility in a situation where many people are seeing the country and where, in addition to seeing it on the Worldthe conflicts of a country that wants to have an impeccable image are becoming visible,” he stated. Villarruel.
To the call of the groups Seeking Fireflies and Until I Find Them City from Mexico the family joined Raul Ventura Santiago: “We come for my father’s case, which is Raul Ventura Santiago. He disappeared on February 8, 2024 in the state of Tamaulipas. My dad went there for work reasons and we didn’t hear from him again. We filed a complaint and they gave us their search bulletin,” shared their daughter. Anayeli Ventura Gallegos.
The states that concentrate a greater number of cases, according to data from the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Personsare the State of Mexico, Tamaulipas and Jalisco, the World Cup venue that in Guadalajara will have four of the 13 matches that the tournament of the FIFA granted to the country. The rest are divided into five for Mexico City and four for Monterrey.
Search bulletin for Raúl Ventura Santiago, during the day to paste chips in the vicinity of the Banorte Stadium – Photo: Fernanda Dávalos/EL UNIVERSAL
Along with the search cards, one of the interventions that was observed on the low bridge of the formerly called “Azteca Stadium” was a shield that evokes that of the Mexican National Team. However, instead of an eagle on top of a ball, the symbol is a shovel on dirt created by the artist. Elsa Oviedo.
The actions will continue towards the 2026 World Cup which will begin on June 11 and end on July 19.
“We expect many people to demonstrate. Many families will come from various parts of the country. What we hope is that our right to demonstrate is respected. (…) We are in our freedom. And as long as they do not resolve, we will continue to demand,” he concluded. Gabriela Alonso Villarruel.
