Eight Years Since Mariela Vanessa Díaz Valverde’s Disappearance
This April 27, 2026 marks eight years since the disappearance of Mariela Vanessa Díaz Valverde. At the time of her vanishing, she was a second-semester student at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (FFyL) of UNAM, pursuing a degree in Hispanic Letters. Mariela was last seen when she left her home in the Fuego Nuevo neighborhood of the Iztapalapa mayor’s office in 2018, and has not returned since.
Activism and Awareness: The Movement for Mariela’s Return
In remembrance of Mariela, her family, students, and advocacy groups organized an event titled “Until I Find You, Mariela Vanessa“. This day served as a memory exercise and a collective action aimed at artistic restoration of a mural dedicated to the student. The gathering concluded with the posting of missing persons’ files in a prominent area of the mayor’s office.
Voices of the Family: A Call for Action
In an interview with Infobae Mexico, Mariela’s sister, Gabriela, expressed the ongoing challenges of their search, stating, “It has been very difficult.” She highlighted issues of authority neglect, emphasizing that despite continuous demands for immediate action, the CDMX Prosecutor’s Office has not provided adequate support. “After eight years, we still continue with our demands. Progress has been made, but it remains insufficient,” she added, lamenting the lack of attention given to the search for missing persons.
The Role of UNAM and Ongoing Advocacy
From the location of the mural dedicated to Mariela, situated at Calzada Ermita Iztapalapa #53 in the San Pablo neighborhood, Gabriela reported that the Faculty of Philosophy at UNAM has been part of their advocacy. The family seeks a meeting with Leonardo Lomelí, the rector, voicing frustration with unmet actions and ignored pleas. “Every minute counts in cases of disappearance,” she urged, stressing the importance of prompt dialogue with university officials.
Highlighting the Crisis of Missing Persons
During the mural restoration, companions and family members collected tokens for other victims of disappearance in the Iztapalapa area. On various surfaces, including walls and posts, they placed hundreds of tokens representing the over 133,513 cases officially registered as missing persons in Mexico. This stark figure underscores the national crisis surrounding disappearances, fueling ongoing activism and remembrance efforts like those for Mariela.
