Mexico's missing - How families and technology are working together
This is a hybrid event.
Since the ‘war on drugs’ was declared in 2007, disappearances related to drug cartel violence has been one of the most critical issues in Mexico. There are currently 114,000 individuals reported missing and the impact on their families is enormous. Lucía de los Angeles Díaz comes from one of these families. She has founded a mothers’ collective – Solecito de Veracruz – to search for their loved ones. So far, they have been able to return the remains of over 300 disappeared to their families.

In collaboration with universities and a local government in Mexico, researchers from the Global Security Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government saw an opportunity to help these families through the FOUND project. This project uses technology to locate and analyse search areas using satellite imagery, drones, sensors and multispectral cameras.

Lucía de los Angeles Díaz will be joined by Miguel Moctezuma, Global Security Programme and Víctor Ávila, Jalisco Search Commissioner, as they discuss the work of the mothers’ collective and the collaboration with the FOUND project, and offer an update on the status of the search protocol.
Date: 2 May 2024, 17:30 (Thursday, 2nd week, Trinity 2024)
Venue: Blavatnik School of Government, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter OX2 6GG
Venue Details: in-person and online
Speakers: Lucía de los Angeles Díaz (Solecito de Vercruz), Miguel Moctezuma (Global Security Programme, Blavatnik School of Government), Víctor Hugo Ávila Barrientos (Jalisco Missing Persons Search Commission)
Organising department: Blavatnik School of Government
Organiser contact email address: events@bsg.ox.ac.uk
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/events/mexicos-missing
Cost: This event is free - please register at the above link
Audience: Public
Editor: Anna Ulshofer