The administration of Mexico’s president has leveled accusations against the press and volunteer searchers who seek missing persons’ bodies, using the term “necrophilia.” These comments, aired during a pre-taped segment on state-run television, drew widespread criticism.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is known for his confrontational style, but this particular segment used unusually crude language. It accused reporters and searchers of suffering from “a delirium of necrophilia” due to their reporting on a suspected clandestine crematorium near Mexico City.
Authorities have denied finding any human remains at the site, and López Obrador often dismisses reports on Mexico’s violence as politically motivated attacks against him. Necrophilia refers to an erotic attraction to corpses.
The attack appears directed at Ceci Flores, who has spent years searching for her two missing sons without much government assistance. Last week, Flores announced the discovery of the alleged crematorium. She has consistently accused the government of ignoring the plight of over 100,000 missing Mexicans.
Flores responded, “When would you ever imagine a president using all the power of the government to depict a mother searching for her sons as the enemy? If anyone is suffering from delirium, it is them. They have ‘necrophobia’; they prefer not to see the dead, not to see the disappeared and ignore the painful reality.”
López Obrador’s spokesperson and press office did not comment on whether the video reflected his personal views. However, the president frequently labels those who criticize Mexico’s gang-related violence as “vultures” or people “trying to profit from pain.”
Ironically, his administration has spent more time searching for falsely listed missing persons than for grave sites needed by grieving families. While Flores may have been mistaken about the clandestine crematorium, her group, The Searching Mothers of Sonora, recently helped identify 45 missing people among 57 sets of remains at a body dumping ground in Sonora.
The “searching mothers” focus on finding remains rather than convicting anyone. Their tireless efforts highlight the urgent need for better resource management and compassion in addressing Mexico’s missing persons crisis.
Source: AP News
