Eight Mexican soldiers detained in connection with 2014 disappearance of 43 students
Relatives and classmates of the missing 43 Ayotzinapa college students march in Mexico City, Sept. 26, 2022, on the anniversary of their disappearance in Iguala, Guerrero state. Eight soldiers linked to the disappearance of the student teachers in 2014, were arrested and are in a military prison awaiting a civil judge to determine whether to open criminal proceedings against them, reported an Army commander, Thursday, June 22, 2023. (File photo: AP)
The Associated Press
A Mexican military official confirmed Thursday that eight soldiers have been detained and taken to a military prison for their possible involvement in events surrounding the 2014 disappearance of 43 students from a rural teacher’s college in southern Mexico.
The eight are awaiting the possible filing of charges by civilian prosecutors, said the official, who was not authorized to be quoted by name.
In September, the Attorney General’s Office came under fire for cancelling some 21 arrest orders for suspects -- including 16 members of the military -- without explanation. It was not clear whether the eight arrested this week were among those arrest warrants were previously withdrawn.
Security forces abducted the students from buses in Iguala on Sept. 26, 2014, and turned them over to a local drug gang. New revelations implicate the military in the disappearances, but the motive for the students’ abduction remains unclear, though there is growing evidence it may have involved police and military collusion with drug traffickers.
Soldiers charged with abuses against civilians must be tried by civilian courts in Mexico, but can be held at military prisons.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2023/06/23/Eight-Mexican-soldiers-detained-in-connection-with-disappearance-of-43-students
= new reply since forum marked as read
It doesn't appear any other speculation has gained the upper hand, even now.
Here's an article from last August, with this excerpt at the end:
Mexico missing students: Knowns and unknowns
Published
25 August 2022
. . . .
Why did the students become a target in the first place?
There have been many theories.
Their left-wing activism and protests in Iguala had angered the mayor of the town at the time, José Luis Abarca, even before the night of the clash.
On the day the students came to Iguala, Mr Abarca's wife, María de los Angeles Pineda, was giving a speech at the town square, and there was speculation police were sent to stop the students from disrupting her event.
The couple fled the town after the students' disappearance and were later arrested in Mexico City. They are both in prison serving time for money laundering and links to organised crime.
Some of the other suspects arrested in connection with the case were freed after it was found that they had been subjected to torture and other human rights violations.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35539727
Former Mayor José Luis Abarca and wife, María de los Ángeles Pineda
Same people, after arrest
~ ~ ~
The students were known as human rights activists who would protest whenever they felt it warrented. Pretty easy to see the Mayor and his wife absolutely didn't want them anywhere near her event and they would love to block them.
So hideous realizing that the next protests in the area would be the outpouring of grief, and anger when it became obvious someone had snatched these young men, "disappeared" them. Unfortunately, "disappearing" people has happened repeatedly throughout the Americas.
Gotta hope that in time there will be an actual trial, or trials, and everyone involved will be outed and headed to prison.
