Thousands of candles lit up the esplanade of the Sinaloa Government Palace on Tuesday night to commemorate the victims of forced disappearances and demand justice for their families.
The demonstration was held by family members. There were people who had been searching for their loved ones for up to a decade, as well as those whose ordeal began amid the conflict between criminal groups that began in September 2024.
More than 5,000 candles were placed, despite the fact that tents and a stage had been set up in the area for the national holidays.
One of the most recent cases is that of Juan Carlos Flores Rojo, who disappeared in July 2025 in Culiacán. His father, Juan Carlos, expressed his frustration, accusing the authorities of not providing the necessary attention to his son’s disappearance.
“We haven’t stopped as searching parents. He was taken away on July 23rd, and while he was outside the house, two vehicles arrived, one recent model and the other an older model. My son was in his vehicle playing on his phone when suddenly these people got out and came for him and pulled him out of the car,” the father stated.
Juan Carlos was just starting out; he was 25 years old, living with his girlfriend who was expecting a baby, and was about to start college.
Relatives of missing persons who have been searching for their loved ones for years also attended the demonstration. This is the case of Margarita and her husband since 2016. Ana Angelica Luna Reynosa went out to a party with friends and never returned home.
“It will be eight years in November, and we still don’t know anything,” the mother stated.
After lighting the candles, the searching families took a roll call of each missing person. Then they shouted into the air as the flames lit up the esplanade with a single cry: “until we find them.”
Source: oem
