Protests mark anniversary of missing Mexican students

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched Saturday in Mexico City to mark the one-year anniversary of the abduction of the 43 students from a teaching college.

The relatives of the students who disappeared in the city of Iguala lead the march on a day protesters called National Indignation Day.

A mix of students, the elderly and middle-class workers gathered at the Zocalo, the central square in the city and the seat of government to demand justice for the students and the resignation of President Enrique Pena Nieto.

“This country is full of injustice and there is no peace without justice’’, said Vanessa Del Castillo who was at the rally with her daughter.

“Get Pena”, “Crime of the State” and “We want them alive” were some of the slogans protesters shouted while some prayed and sang.

Marchers also asked for justice for 20,000 victims who have gone missing in Mexico. “It is time to say that is enough and that we don’t want forced abduction anymore,” said Jessica Valdez, a student in Mexico City.

Authorities believe the students were abducted by Iguala local police who were then handed over to a drug cartel that killed the youths and burned their bodies.

That version of events has been widely rejected by the students’ families and international organizations.

The parents met with Pena Nieto earlier this week and presented a list of 8 demands that included the creation of an independent investigation committee supervised by international experts.

Saturday’s protests were held along with demonstrations in 25 Mexican cities and in 20 other countries.