Data Integration at Heart of Mexico's Push to Solve Disappearances
Mexico's President Sheinbaum proposes reforms to enhance the search for missing persons. Key measures include a unified identity platform (CURP), national databases, and private sector involvement.
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has unveiled a series of proposed reforms to Mexico's legal framework aimed at bolstering the search and identification of missing persons, a persistent challenge in the country. The initiatives, presented in Mexico City, target the General Population Law and the General Law on Forced Disappearance of Persons, Disappearance Committed by Individuals, and the National System for the Search of Persons.
The proposed changes encompass a multi-pronged approach, with a central focus on the creation of a unified national identity platform. This platform, built upon the existing Unique Population Registry Code (CURP), aims to streamline the process of issuing alerts, conducting searches, and locating individuals. The government intends for this centralized system to integrate various databases, including antemortem and postmortem records, as well as the Amber Alert system, facilitating real-time information sharing across different agencies.
"These are reforms to two laws to facilitate and broaden investigations related to cases of forced disappearance by individuals, both for the Prosecutor's Offices and the Search Commissions, as well as addressing the need to strengthen identity to advance investigations," President Sheinbaum explained at the presentation.
A key component of the reforms is the mandatory connection of all relevant databases to this unified identity platform. This move seeks to eliminate delays and improve the efficiency of investigations into disappearances, a crime that has plagued Mexico for years.
The initiatives also propose the establishment of a National Database of Investigation Files for disappeared persons and a National Forensic Data Bank. Furthermore, the reforms seek to strengthen the capacities of both national and state-level Search Commissions, providing them with enhanced resources and tools.
In a significant move, the proposed legislation also aims to involve private entities in the search process. Companies in sectors such as financial services, transportation, healthcare, telecommunications, and package delivery would be obligated to generate and share relevant information that could assist in locating missing persons.
The reforms also address accountability, establishing obligations and sanctions for public servants regarding the generation, updating, and sharing of information. Additionally, the proposed1 changes include an increase in penalties for those convicted of forced disappearance and disappearance committed by individuals.
Ernestina Godoy Ramos, the legal advisor to the Federal Executive, emphasized that the objective of these reforms is to create a system that allows for real-time information exchange between authorities, institutions, and private citizens. The goal is to encourage public participation in the search process through timely information and reports, provide rapid and accurate nationwide alerts when a disappearance is reported, and empower state Prosecutor's Offices to conduct more agile and effective investigations.
The head of the Federal Executive also outlined several key objectives of the reforms: acknowledging the government's responsibility in addressing the issue of disappearances and committing to providing accurate data on the number of missing persons; ensuring justice in past cases, such as the Teuchitlán, Jalisco case, through thorough investigations by the Attorney General's Office; and implementing preventative measures through the unified identity platform accessible to security institutions.
The introduction of these reforms signals the government's intent to tackle the complex issue of disappearances with a more coordinated and technologically advanced approach. By centralizing information and mandating collaboration across various sectors, Mexico hopes to improve its capacity to locate missing persons and bring those responsible to justice. The effectiveness of these reforms will be closely watched by both domestic and international observers as Mexico continues to grapple with this critical challenge.
