Security & Strategic Review - August 2026

The conditions facing those searching for Mexico’s disappeared have once against entered the foreground, as search collectives used the increased publicity afforded by the country’s co-hosting of the Fifa World Cup in June and July to draw attention to their cause. The efforts and resources devoted to the hosting of the World Cup have also led activists and searchers to criticise the government led by President Claudia Sheinbaum for prioritising the tournament over their plight. These tensions were exacerbated by the murder of missing persons activist Patricia Negrete Tafoya in Guanajuato state on 23 June, reflecting the dangers facing members of search collectives and drawing condemnation from rights groups.