Families of migrants receive support to report disappearances in Mexico

They can track disappearances from their home countries

A decade ago, if a migrant went missing in Mexico, their family had no way to report the disappearance and demanded a search from their home country. However, the External Support Mechanism for Search and Investigation (MAEBI) is now coordinated by the Ministry of Government, which enables Mexican embassies, consulates, and diplomatic offices to act as "windows" to receive these reports.

Fabienne Cabaret, deputy director of the Foundation for Justice—a key organization in creating the mechanism—explained in an interview with El Heraldo de México that MAEBI was established in December 2015 and has undergone several changes.

In 2022, guidelines were published, evolving the mechanism to involve the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), state prosecutors, and search commissions in the investigation and search for missing persons.

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"MAEBI provides a gateway for a criminal investigation in Mexico from another country," Cabaret said, adding that it has gradually expanded to include more stakeholders.

“The configuration of MAEBI is evolving, and more actors are becoming involved. This was formalized in 2022 with the guidelines issued by the National Search System, expanding the mechanism beyond just the Attorney General’s Office to include state prosecutors and state search commissions,” she explained.

Laurence Pantin, director of the Foundation for Justice, detailed on Tuesday that the organization has supported 124 cases reported since 2016 in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, locating 20 victims, half of whom were found alive.

Pantin presented these findings from the Study of MAEBI’s Analysis and Functionality in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in cases of missing migrants. The study highlights challenges such as ensuring access to consulates and embassies, strengthening communication between authorities and reporting families, and training officials to ensure proper treatment and avoid re-victimization.

The report also calls for greater cooperation among countries of origin, transit, and destination. "The responsibility to safeguard migrants does not rest solely on transit countries. Origin countries must support families searching for their missing people in Mexico throughout the search and investigation processes," it emphasizes.