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Jennifer Kennedy's article on Mexico's disappeared: families of missing persons seeking the truth
8 September 2020
UCL Americas alumna Jennifer Kennedy writes a harrowing account of the ordeals that relatives of missing persons in Mexico are forced to endure in their search for the truth of what happened to their beloved.
In her article, recently published by Lacuna Magazine, Jennifer explains how enforced disappearances by security forces and criminal groups in Mexico are a widespread problem, which worsened when former president Felipe Calderón took office in 2006 and executed the 'War on Drugs' – a highly militarised response to combat drug trafficking. Read Jennifer's article in full by clicking on this link.
Lacuna Magazine is an online magazine produced by the Centre for Human Rights in Practice at the University of Warwick.
Jennifer completed her MA in Latin American Studies in 2015 at UCL Institute of the Americas. She then went to work as a communications professional for several non-profit and public sector organisations in the UK and Mexico. In 2019, Jennifer returned to freelance journalism full-time to write about human rights, the environment and travel in Mexico and Central America. Writing for various publications, she has reported on traditional Maya beekeeping, artist collectives and enforced disappearances, among other stories. We would like to thank Jennifer for sharing this story with us and wish her every success.
Following on from Jennifer's article, we would like to bring your attention to the panel discussion that Professor Kevin Middlebrook has organised to offer an interim assessment of Mexico's current government, headed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. President López Obrador won a landslide electoral victory in Mexico’s 2018 presidential election on the promise that he would end rampant criminal violence and public insecurity, amongst other pressing challenges faced by Mexico. This virtual panel discussion will take place on October 21 2020, at 17:00 UK time. Please follow this link for more information and registration details.
Links:
University of Warwick Centre for Human Rights in Practice
Jennifer Kennedy's article in full
Professor Kevin Middlebrook's academic profile
UCL Americas virtual event on Mexico - October 21 2020
Image:
Photo courtesy of J Kennedy