Marcela "Mia" Zurita (left), 59, looks down into a well that she suspects may serve as a clandestine grave for victims of forced disappearance. Mia's son Dorian Javier Rivera Zurita disappeared on October 11, 2012, at the age of 32. Mia is a member of Solecito, an organization of more than 250 family members with numerous chapters throughout the State of Veracruz, who go out and search for their missing relatives nearly on a daily basis. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Marcos Contreras Roman, 67, inserts a metal rod into a suspected clandestine grave where victims of forced disappearance could be located. Afterwards, Marcos will smell the tip to determine if there are human remains underneath. He and other members of Solecito use this method to recognize the scent of decomposing bodies and if it is positive, they will dig the clandestine grave in search of human remains. Marcos' son Oscar Contreras Arzaba disappeared on May 22, 2011, at the age of 19. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Carlos Francisco Quintana Zurita, 22, smells the tip of a metal rod inserted into a suspected clandestine grave where victims of forced disappearance could be located. His mother Marcela "Mia" Zurita, 59, waits for his verdict. Carlos and other members of Solecito use this method to recognize the scent of decomposing bodies and if it is positive, they will dig the clandestine grave in search of human remains. Mia's son and Carlos' brother Dorian Javier Rivera Zurita disappeared on October 11, 2012, at the age of 32. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Shoes and clothing found near a clandestine grave known to have the remains of victims of forced disappearance. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Ilaria Arzaba Medran, 57, poses for a photo with tools as she searches for her disappeared son and other victims in a location known to have been a clandestine grave. Ilaria's son Oscar Contreras Arzaba disappeared on May 22, 2011, at the age of 19. Ilaria is a member of Solecito, an organization of more than 250 family members with numerous chapters throughout the State of Veracruz, who go out and search for their missing relatives nearly on a daily basis. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Marcos Contreras Roman, 67, poses for a photo with tools as he prepares to go search for his disappeared son and other victims. Marcos' son Oscar Contreras Arzaba disappeared on May 22, 2011, at the age of 19. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Marcela "Mia" Zurita, 59, holds a photo of her son Dorian Javier Rivera Zurita who disappeared on October 11, 2012, at the age of 32. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Amelia Hernandez Namorado, 53, holds a sign of her missing son Pablo Dario Miguel Hernandez at the entrance to Colinas de Santa Fe, a field dotted with clandestine graves that have rendered the human remains of over 260 victims. Amelia is a member of Solecito, an organization of more than 250 family members with numerous chapters throughout the State of Veracruz who go out and search for their missing relatives nearly on a daily basis. Pablo Dario disappeared on December 6, 2013, at the age of 25. Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 22, 2018.
People walk along the pier in Veracruz and pose by a sign that bares the city's and state's name. Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 24, 2018.
Girls exchange phone numbers with boys who make money fishing coins thrown by tourists from the pier into the sea in the port of Veracruz. One of the girls is holding a Serpent Star, or Ophiura ophiura, fished by one of the boys and given as a gift. Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 24, 2018.
A nun watches as a boy dives into the sea in order to fish out a coin thrown by tourists from the pier. Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 24, 2018.
Jorge Sanchez Ordoñez enters his heavily fortified home in Medellin. Jorge, son of slain community journalist Moises Sanchez Cerezo, is currently protected by the government-run Mechanism of Protection to Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. Sanchez Cerezo was a local journalist who produced and distributed a fanzine/newsletter named La Union and used it to denounce numerous local issues. He was abducted from inside his home on January 2, 2015, and his body appeared heavily mutilated a few weeks later. Former mayor of Medellin Omar Cruz Reyes has been charged by the Distric Attorney's Office as the mastermind of the crime but is currently a fugitive from the law. Medellin, Veracruz, Mexico. February 22, 2018.
Jorge Sanchez Ordoñez watches the security cameras in his home while his children watch cartoons. Medellin, Veracruz, Mexico. February 22, 2018.
Felipe Parra rides home after picking up his grandson Miguel Angel from elementary school. Mr. Parra states: "Yes, insecurity makes life more difficult, but luckily we are very organized here in the community. Still, you never know." Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 22, 2018.
Bullet holes dot the walls inside a home in the middle class neighborhood of Villa Rica where an extended shootout took place on February 28, 2017, between a gang of kidnappers and members of the security forces - Police and Marines. Two members of the gang were killed and documents leading to the clandestine graves of numerous victims, including three kidnapped members of the Marine force, were found inside the home. Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. February 22, 2018.
A Military Police vehicle patrols the streets of Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Fernando Yunes Marquez (center in blue), mayor of Veracruz City, speaks with Generals Juan Manuel Rico Gamez (left) and Sergio López Esquer (second from left) during an event at the VI Regional Military Headquarters in Boca del Rio. Yunes Marquez is the son of current Veracruz governor Miguel Angel Yunes Linares and brother of Miguel Angel Yunes Marquez, former Mayor of Boca del Rio and current candidate slated to take over as State governor for his father during the July 2018 elections. Rico Gamez, current Commander of the VI Regional Military Force, has been accused by the Republic's Attorney General's office of providing military protection to members of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel. López Esquer served as Secretary of Public Security in Veracruz until 2011 when he suffered an assassination attempt. He was replaced by Arturo Bermúdez Zurita, currently in jail along with 18 other former police officers accused of forced disappearances. Boca del Rio, Veracruz, Mexico. February 19, 2018.
A heavily-armed State Police officer walks the streets of central Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. February 21, 2018.
Shrine honoring La Santa Muerte, Holy Death, outside a home in Cordoba, Mexico. A syncretic deity honoring death, la Santa Muerte is often associated with Narco-culture, even though it spawns from pre-Hispanic times. Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Carla Maria Aguilar Romero, 23, prepares food that will be distributed to migrants by the volunteer group Las Patronas. Set along the path of the train known as La Bestia that carries mostly Central American migrants from Mexico's southern border to the northern one with the United States, the migrant shelter of Las Patrones has been providing food for passing migrants since 1995. Amatlan de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Bernarda Romero Vasquez, 55, founder of the volunteer group Las Patronas sits in the office's living room. Amatlan de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico. February 20, 2018.
Juan Carlos Julian (right), 43, from Cuyotenango, Suchitepequez, Guatemala, gets ready to head northwards after spending a night at the migrant shelter of Las Patronas, a group of volunteer women who have been providing food and shelter for passing migrants since 1995. Amatlan de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico. February 24, 2018.
Rosa Romero Vasquez, founding member of Las Patronas, hands food to migrants riding the train known as La Bestia. Amatlan de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico. February 24, 2018.
A migrant rides the train known as La Bestia that carries mostly Central American migrants from Mexico's southern border to the northern one with the United States. Amatlan de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico. February 23, 2018.
All of Mexico’s Ills Gather in Veracruz
On July 1, 2018, Mexico will not only elect a new president, but also 3,400 other legislative and municipal mandates. Governor positions are also at stake, including that of the state of Veracruz, the second most populous region in the country with 8 million inhabitants.
Six years ago, Veracruz’s current governor Miguel Angel Yunes ran on a platform based on the eradication of corruption and rectifying rampant insecurity. Nevertheless, his time in office has seen the opposite: homicides have multiplied, making Veracruz the fifth most deadly State in the country, according to official figures. 2017 marked the most violent year in twenty years, with 25,339 violent deaths. Meanwhile, 2018 is on its way to beat that record with 13,298 assassinations between January and May, a rise of 21% during the same period in the previous year.
Reportage produced for Le Monde in February, 2018.
Images from the disappearances won 2nd place at the 2018 Human Rights Photography and Cuartoscuro Magazine contest in Coahuila, Mexico.
To license images follow these instructions and download from these galleries.