
Global Month of Action for the Enforced Disappearance of Ricardo Lagunes Gasca and Antonio Díaz Valencia
On the second anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Ricardo Lagunes Gasca and Antonio Díaz Valencia on January 15, their families, representatives, civil society organizations, friends, collectives, and academics call for global action to demand their safe return, truth, and justice.

Ricardo, a human rights lawyer, and Antonio, an Indigenous leader, were forcibly disappeared on January 15, 2023, after achieving legal victories that empowered their community to defend Indigenous rights and influence mining development by Ternium in the Aquila mine, Michoacán, Mexico. Since then, their whereabouts remain unknown, and their loved ones continue to demand their immediate search and safe return.
The disappearance of Ricardo and Antonio symbolizes the violence faced by human rights defenders in Mexico. Global Witness's annual report highlights the gravity of enforced disappearances targeting environmental defenders, dedicating the chapter In Limbo to this case. According to the organization, from 2012 to 2023, 203 environmental defenders were killed in Mexico, 26 of them victims of enforced disappearance, with 21 cases in Michoacán. Seventy percent of lethal attacks in 2023 targeted Indigenous people defending their territories from mining industries, with the highest concentration in the Pacific Coast regions of Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco.
Since Ricardo and Antonio’s disappearance, numerous clandestine graves containing hundreds of unidentified remains have been discovered, compounding the crisis of over 72,000 unidentified bodies in Mexico. The investigation into their disappearance has seen no significant progress in prosecuting intellectual and material perpetrators of this grave crime. Flaws in the investigation, lack of family involvement, and absence of a comprehensive strategy to resolve the case raise serious concerns, encouraging impunity and neglect. Moreover, escalating violence around the case, with witnesses and perpetrators being executed after inexplicable releases from state custody, highlights the need for humanitarian solutions to achieve truth and justice.
Families of Ricardo and Antonio continue urging the State to recognize this crime as an enforced disappearance, investigate all reasonable leads—including potential involvement of state agents and private actors—and collaborate with independent experts. Throughout 2024, they have carried their defenders' images and demands for justice worldwide, but international recommendations from the UN, IACHR, Luxembourg, and the United States remain unheard.

On the second anniversary, aware of the humanitarian, forensic, and justice crises plaguing the country due to disappearances and violence against environmental defenders, we invite you to join the Global Month of Action Against Impunity. Contribute your art, share your act of solidarity, sign our petition, send our postcards to the authorities, and demand that Mexican authorities fulfill their international human rights obligations. Together, let us call for the effective search for Ricardo and Antonio, the clarification of the facts, and the prosecution of those responsible.
The disappearance of Ricardo and Antonio is a stark reminder of the profound dangers faced by those defending the environment and Indigenous rights in Mexico. We stand in solidarity with their families and demand:
Establishing a humanitarian mechanism to ensure the collaboration of all stakeholders, including Ternium, in uncovering the truth, finding Ricardo and Antonio, and returning them to their families.
Appointing a Special Prosecutor and forming a humanitarian search team with the necessary resources and expertise to conduct an independent, impartial review of the case and implement a strategic search plan.
Collaborating with independent experts working alongside the families through the Independent Mechanism for the Humanitarian Recovery of Antonio and Ricardo (MIRHAR).
Leveraging international technical assistance from countries and institutions with advanced search capabilities.
Demanding corporate accountability from Ternium to address severe human rights violations, aid the search process, engage constructively with the families, and adopt a zero-tolerance policy against violence targeting defenders.
Ricardo and Antonio, we want you back alive!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Signatory Organizations:
Global Rights Advocacy
Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Yopoi
Museo del Hambre
Chiwik Tajsal
H.I.J.O.S. México
ARTICLE 19 – Oficina para México y Centroamérica
Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos "Todos los Derechos para Todas, Todos y Todes" (Red TDT)
Organización
Movement for Justice in El New York
Moved for Justice in El Barrio New York
Preparatoria Comunitaria José Martí
Geo-grafías Comunitarias
SAC Consultoría para la Construcción de Paz
PsicoActuando
Mira: Feminismos y democracias
Servicio Internacional para la Paz
Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic (Catalunya)
Servicios para una Educación Alternativa EDUCA Oaxaca A.C.
Global Exchange
Observatorio de Seguridad Humana de la Región de Apatzingán
Voces Mesoamericanas, Acción con Pueblos Migrantes
Colectivo Sí a la Vida
Educando en los Derechos y la Solidaridad, EducaDyS
Grupo Ecológico Manglar, AC
Asamblea de pueblos indígenas del istmo en defensa de la tierra y el territorio
Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Francisco de Vitoria OP, A.C.
Espacio de Coordinación de Organizaciones Civiles sobre Derechos Económicos, Sociales, Culturales y Ambientales (Espacio DESCA)
Futuros Indígenas + Milpamérica
Comité Cerezo México
Federación Nacional de Personerías de Colombia- Fenalper
C.L. Enkabronados.com
Frente del Pueblo Resistencia Organizada,FPRO.
Fundar. Centro de Análisis e Investigación A
Global Witness
Rebeldias en común
Jóvenes comuneras y comuneros de Milpa Alta.
Coordinadora Regional de Acción Solidaria en Defensa del Territorio (CORASON)
Asamblea Veracruzana de Iniciativas y Defensa Ambiental
Colectivo Cultural San Miguel Totolcingo
Coordinadora de Colonias Unidas
Centro de Derechos Humanos Zeferino Ladrillero
Centro de Justicia para La Paz y el Desarrollo (CEPAD)
RAÍCES Análisis de Género para el Desarrollo
Laboratorio Popular de Medios Libres
Coordinadora de Organizaciones Cafetaleras de Veracruz (CNOC VERACRUZ)
El Rebozo, Cuidado de la Vida y los Territorios, A.C.
Bunko Papalote A C.
Colectiva Guanajuato
Colectivo Rodolfo Reyes Crespo
Academic@s43
Casa de las Muñecas Tiresias AC
Corriente del Pueblo Sol Rojo
Colectiva Acompañamiento Psicosocial Tetlayeni Ican Yolotl
Flacso Cuba
Amo Ximayahue Kan Nin Tlen Nechtlakaita
Kan Nin Tlen Nechtlakaita
ACUDDEH AC
FJC
Comité Cerezo México
DIVERSA UAN
Sembradoras Mujeres Momoxcas
Territorios Diversos para la Vida, A.C.
Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo e Investigación (PODER)
ONPP-PRP
Los Ángeles Press
UNAM
Raíces sin fronteras
Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan
Somos Viento, Asociación Civil
Instituto Cultural Autónomo Rubén Jaramillo Ménez, México
Pastoral Social, Iglesia Anglicana de México
Glorieta de las y los Desaparecidos - CDMX
Colectiva "Rojo Amanecer" JCM
Amnistía Internacional México
Direct Action Everywhere CDMX
CDMX Health Save
Primaria Fernando Montes de Oca
UPMS
Individual signatories:
Marcos Ezequiel Filardi
Lauren Kimball
Gabriel F. Bicinskas
Paola HT
Greiss Lizeth Sarmiento Barrera
Maria Gabriela Lagunes Gasca
Carmen Gimenez
Anabel Ojeda Universidad Veracruzana
Adriana Salto Domínguez
Marcos Gasca
Carlos Iván Pacheco Sánchez
Guillermo Silva Lopez
Yahel
Camila Abagaro
Margarita González
Tania Ramírez Hernández
Silvia Gavilanes
Stephanie Chantal Segura Espinosa
Lorena Roffé
Yaneli Cruz Guillén
Liliana Souza
Cynthia Astudillo Ventura
Luis Valdivia
María Isabel Ramírez
Fernando Ortega
Manuel Antyonio Ruiz
David Jiménez
Víctor Hugo Guzmán Cuevas
Alberto Solís Castro
Yaneli Cruz
Salma Valdez
Laura Carlsen
Clara Jusidman
Marco Castillo
Julio César Franco Gutiérrez
Mario Rechy Montieñ
Violeta Y. Medina Trinidad
Académicxs de Monterrey
Michelle Monter Arauz
Juan ganboa maldonado
José Luis García Valero
Sonua Torres Hernández
Liz Sánchez Reyna
Eva Vázquez
Mónica Yerena
Carlos Mendoza Alvarez
Bettina Cruz Velázquez
Areli Sandoval Terán
Mariana Bermúdez
María Teresa Villarreal Martínez
Raúl Ángel Cruz Fiscal
Alejandra Leyva
Marcos Gasca
Regina A. Barba Pirez
Jesualdo Arzuaga Ramírez
Abril Rodríguez
Carla Garibi
Mariana Cruz Marín
Ignacio López Moreno
Miguel Darío Hidalgo Castro
Francisco Ayala Gabilondo
Yuteita Valeria Hoyos Ramos
León Mayorga
Mónica Paola Leyva Hurtado
Karla Yanin Rivera Flores
Verónica Briseño
Mauricio González González
Luz Verónica Gallegos Cantú
Emilio Rodriguez Almazan
Lesly Lizbeth Jiménez Flores
Carlos A. Ventura Callejas
Juan Carlos Flores Solís
Ana Mayela De Velazquez
Julia Escalante De Haro
Giuliana Martínez
Armando Gomez
Mercedes Mata Boyer
Cirio Ruiz González
Nancy Nájera Albarrán
Carlos Guadalupe Heiras Rodríguez
Gialuanna Ayora Vázquez
Rocío Servín Jiménez, Universidad de Guanajuato
Julio Mata Montiel
Antonio Orozco Michel
R. Patricia Rodríguez R.
Anne Fouquet
Diva Cassandra
Kay Nicté Nava Nasupcialy
Rosalba Vázquez Valenzuela
Max Emiliano Negrete González
Maria Gabriela Lagunes Gasca
Gabriele Borinelli
Lydiette Carrión, periodista
Arlen Turcott Flores
Raquel Camacho Lagunez
Yuri Escalante
Elsa Morejón Sánchez
Catalina Rocha OKelard
Isaura Pérez Hernández
Cynthia Astudillo Ventura
Angélica Ayala Galván
Livia R. González Ángeles
Kan Nin Tlen Nechtlakaita
Brenda Hernández Sánchez
Alejandro Cerezo Contreras
Stephanie Elizabeth Medina Ponce
Pedro Mendiola Anda
Luz Karime Ramon Boyer
Héctor Ic Rodríguez
Elizabeth Ayesha Borja Domínguez
Rosa Lucas
Alejandro Meléndez Ortiz
Héctor Cerezo Contreras
Flor Emilia García Monreal
Marcos Vizcarra
Antonio Sánchez
Yarenia Jiménez Pastrana
Beatriz Briones
Pamela Romero
Silvia Soler Casellas
Limbania Vázquez Nava
Ana Sevilla
Gorki Cuauhtemoc Buentello Pastrana
Magda Coss
José Santos
Manuel Cabrera
Leticia Silva I.
Cristina Kleinert
Guadalupe Lizárraga
Matilde Belem Huerta Lastra
Sebastian
Pedro Luis del Ángel Rodríguez
Begoña Arretxe Irigoien
María de los Ángeles Muñoz González
Jesús Romo
Valeria Castro
Ramón Flores Ordóñez
Gerardo Alatorre
Ángel Hernández Alba
María Laura Serrano Santos
Dara Asalia Vilchis Avilés
Efraín Rojas Bruschetta
Vicente Para Sosa
Rodrigo Uribe Cevallos
Trinidad Cevallos Rodríguez
Mónica Aguado García de Alba
Mónica Esquivel Santillán
Arturo Carrasco Gómez, sacerdote anglicano
Jorge Verástegui González
José Luis J. M.
Regina Paulina Brito Gómez
J. Ricardo Robles
Miguel Gómez Beltrán
Rocío Ruiz Lagier
Lia Nikol Macias Sandoval
Alejandro Reyes
Maria Isabel Dado Ortiz
María Elena Aguayo Hernández
Contact:
Alejandra Gonza, Global Rights Advocacy – agonza@globalrightsadvocacy.org
Thomas Antkowiak, Seattle University International Human Rights Clinic – antkowiak@seattleu.edu
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