MEXICO
Thousands of protesters gathered in Mexico City on Saturday, a day after three detainees confessed to killing at least 40 missing students from a teaching college.
Saturday afternoon hundreds of demonstrators showed up for a flash mob at the city’s main square. Protesters lay down on the ground several times and demanded justice for the relatives of the 43 male students who disappeared Sept. 26 in Iguala, about 120 miles southwest of Mexico City.
Several protesters wrote on placards, “Enough, I’m tired,” in reference to the words uttered by Mexico’s Attorney General Jesus Murillo following his press conference Friday that revealed the confessions.
“The attorney general said that he was tired of this investigation. But it is his job to investigate. How could he be tired when his wage is about $15,000 per month?” said Yomali Lopez, a student from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The average monthly wage in the country is around $800.
By Saturday night the crowd grew to thousands, with demonstrators marching with torches in their hands. Protesters expressed anger at the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto, who has claimed a reduction in crime since taking office in 2012. Chants of “Go away, Pena,” amongst others could be heard.
Pena Nieto has been criticized for keeping a scheduled international tour that begins in China on Sunday, while facing the most important crisis of his presidency.
“Mexico is not angry, but furious,” said Angelica Garcia, one of the protesters. “Unfortunately, it took the disappearances to wake up the country. But it is the moment for the country to change,” he said.
Near the end of the demonstration, a small group of activists tried to set fire to the doors of the national palace but the flames were quickly extinguished.
Some protesters wrote "Alive" on the palace’s doors but were met with resistance from other demonstrators with a demand of “No violence.”
The attorney general said Friday that three detainees in the case of the 43 missing students confessed to killing and burning the bodies of the students.
Relatives of the students said they rejected everything that the authorities had to say and added they will trust only the conclusions made by Argentinian forensics experts who are also investigating the case.
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