On the night of September 15, Mexico City’s squares were filled with lights, music, and shouts of “Long live Mexico!” However, in Xalapa and Poza Rica, the Independence Day celebrations turned into a scene of protest. Families of the disappeared and supporters of the political opposition decided to raise their voices in a symbolic moment to demand justice and democracy.
In the capital of Veracruz, groups of searchers stormed the state government palace. With banners, candles, and the power of their slogans, they held an “Alternative Cry” in memory of their disappeared loved ones.
“Long live the searching mothers, because they took them alive, we want them back alive,” echoed through a megaphone in the city center.
Searching Mothers: The Struggle That Never Ends
The collectives Madres en Búsqueda Belém González, Madres en Búsqueda Coatzacoalcos, and Familiares Enlaces Xalapa reminded the public that behind every official figure lies a broken story. For them, the national holidays are not a cause for celebration, but rather an opportunity to bring attention to the crisis of disappearances in Veracruz, one of the states with the highest number of cases in the country.
Each mother who spoke recounted how the absence of her children has become a driving force for struggle. Instead of applause, the crowd responded with silence and respect, confirming that shared pain becomes a collective memory.
Electoral Fraud and Bad Government in Poza Rica
In the north of the state, in Poza Rica, the cry was different. Members of Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) gathered in front of city hall to denounce alleged electoral fraud.
Carrying banners reading “Out with bad government” and “No to imposition,” protesters asserted that there is an attempt to overturn the victory of their candidate, Emilio Olvera Andrade, after the June 1 elections.
The dispute centers on the opening of electoral packets requested by Janeth Adanely Rodríguez, a candidate from the coalition “Let’s Continue Making History” (Morena-PVEM), which maintains uncertainty about the political future of Poza Rica.
The symbolism of the “Grito” turned into a protest
What happened in Veracruz reflects a Mexican reality: public squares are more than spaces for celebration; they are places of resistance. While the entire country shouted “Viva México!” (Long Live Mexico!), voices demanding justice, truth, and respect for the citizen vote resonated in Xalapa and Poza Rica.
For some, the protests marred the celebration. For others, they were a reminder that independence remains an unfinished task when impunity, disappearances, and a lack of trust in electoral processes persist.
Source: msn
