Text and photographs by María Ruiz
The streets of San Luis Potosi capital have become an unusual setting, as they are flooded with search files. This phenomenon is part of the National Search Brigadean initiative that is carried out throughout the Mexican territory.
Through this action, we seek to make visible the difficult situation faced by families affected by the disappearance of their loved ones.
The organization Voice and Dignity for Ours SLP, composed of searching families who are collateral victims of disappearance, has undertaken creative strategies to disseminate search files for missing persons in the 32 states of the Republic.
These files contain vital information: faces, data and profiles of those who have disappeared. The president of the group, Edith Pérez Rodríguezwho has led this initiative in the state, said that this action could mean a change to make the problem visible in the community.
He added that, at the national level, the disappearances crisis has become a humanitarian tragedy. The figures are alarming and San Luis Potosí is no exception.
According to Pérez Rodríguez, the files of people that were posted throughout the city are from Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Mexico state, Mexico City, Veracruz, New Lion, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Sonora, Zacatecas and Guanajuatowhich represent the places with the highest numbers of disappearances.
These faces, which for many are unknown, now flood the streets of the capital of Potosí, reminding us of the urgency of finding answers.
The strategy of placing these tokens in strategic places has a clear purpose: to involve the population and the community in the active search. They are a call to action, an invitation to the visibility of this problem that affects all Mexicans.
In addition to the files generated by the attorney general’s offices of each state, there are also photos of people wanted without an official complaint.
“It is a reminder that we can all contribute to the search for truth and justice.”
On the streets of San Luis Potosí, at least 200 search tokens They are arranged in MUPIs, parking lots and fences in public spaces. In Founders Square and in front of the State Attorney General’s Office, these images confront the reality of forced disappearance. They are a desperate cry to find the missing and stop this tragedy that affects so many families.
“The National Search Brigade not only searches for faces on paper, but also for answers in the heart of society. Each token is a reminder that Mexico owes a debt to the families who have suffered this scourge. It is time for us all to join in this tireless search and demand justice for the missing,” said Pérez Rodríguez.
