Shocking Rise in Quintana Roo Disappearances: Authorities Fail to Act

In August 2024, Quintana Roo saw an alarming rise in missing persons cases, with 54 individuals reported missing. The authorities have yet to provide any information on these cases.

The frequency of disappearances in Quintana Roo is on the rise, with an increasing number of high-profile abductions, including those involving minors. Despite the growing numbers, there has been little progress reported in these cases. The search operations conducted by the authorities have so far been unsuccessful.

As of now, 50 people have been reported missing in August, a number that could rise by the end of the month. The majority of these incidents occurred in Cancún and Chetumal, though Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos also reported alarming figures. All these cases have been filed with the State Prosecutor's Office (FGE).

The state agency issued 54 alerts on its social media channels throughout the month. These included 12 each in Cancún and Chetumal, 11 in Playa del Carmen, seven in Puerto Morelos, six in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, four in Bacalar, and two in Tulum.

The missing persons reported in August include four women and 50 men, aged between 15 and 29. Two cases of child abduction were also reported, though these are believed to be related to custody and family disputes.

Search operations conducted by citizen associations, supported by authorities at all three levels of government, have been held weekly. However, only traces of one person were found in August, in a green area of Supermanzana 251, in the Paseos del Mar subdivision. Given the conditions, this individual may have been reported missing months ago.

Similar results were seen in previous months, with mothers searching for their children among those participating. However, the lack of leads or investigative avenues from the authorities has hindered significant discoveries.

These recent disappearances add to those reported by Red Lupa in May, when it was revealed that 1213 people were missing, primarily in the aforementioned cities. The report showed that 494 were from Benito Juárez, 281 from Othón P. Blanco, 176 from Solidaridad, 30 from Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and 23 from Isla Mujeres. The majority from the latter location were from the continental zone.

In the state capital, rising insecurity is causing concern among residents. Just last Wednesday, two abductions were reported, including a member of the National Guard. This marks the second disappearance of a National Guard member this year.

Another individual was abducted early Wednesday morning, but was reportedly mistaken for the gunmen's intended target and was released in Calderitas, allegedly under death threats to maintain his silence. For security reasons, the young man's identity has not been disclosed.

In mid-August, news emerged of the abduction of four employees from the Grand Residence hotel in Puerto Morelos during their shift. To date, no leads on their whereabouts or the motive behind the incident have been found. While there has been speculation about a potential link to drug trafficking, the authorities have not confirmed this.