More than 100 Brown students gathered at Foxboro Auditorium on Wednesday, November 19 to discuss the events and implications surrounding the disappearance of 43 students in Iguala, Mexico. “#AYOTZINAPA: A Teach-In on Mexico’s Missing Students” featured postdoctoral fellow at the Watson Institute Janice Gallagher, Paula Martinez Gutierrez, Atenea Rosado-Viurques, Camila Ruiz Segovia, and director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Richard Snyder. Though we discuss the issue miles and miles away from the epicenter of tragedy, in a privileged and safe space at Brown University, this panel reminds us that we, students, have power to challenge authority — and we have responsibility to do so.
The 43 students who were “disappeared” on September 26 were studying to become teachers at a rural school with a tradition of social activism. It is no coincidence Mexican schools have become a site of violence by the military and organized crime — there have been more than 500 attacks on education since 2009. It is because schools are, inherently, a site of contestation. As one of the panelists pointed out, “perhaps [they] know too much about society.” Knowledge is power, for knowledge allows us to hold others, and ourselves, accountable for our actions.
The terrible incident in Ayotzinapa is hardly the first case of innocent civilians falling victim to state agents and organized crime’s cruel machinations. Nor is it the first time Mexicans have mobilized in protest, reclaiming their rights and denouncing the violence that has plagued everyday life. Since the war on drugs began in 2006, these moments have been especially salient. Like all violent occurrences that preceded it — including the 22 extrajudicial executions in Tlatlaya, the massacre of migrants in Tamaulipas and the wave of femicides in Juárez — Ayotzinapa matters because it exposes the deeper structural fractures in Mexico’s social and political life.
Whether or not the protest movement that has sprung from Ayotzinapa will address the underlying causes of violence and impunity in Mexico is yet to be seen. What will be the level of government response? Will a potential Peña Nieto resignation resolve or silence the issue? What are the realistic expectations of what this moment can lead to?
The truth is, it is too early to determine the impact. Less than two months since the disappearance, support and solidarity for the victims of Ayotzinapa has grown throughout Mexico and abroad. And while many already speak of systemic change, families of victims, students and NGOs are still demanding justice for the 43 young men and women. Nonetheless, the voices that filled the room on Wednesday were hopeful. In many ways, #Ayotzinapa presents a unique opportunity for political change.
There are two particularities in this case that have allowed it to gathered momentum. Firstly, Ayotzinapa is a truly paradigmatic situation, which can bring different people and organizations together in a unified movement. As Janice Gallagher explained, these students were acting completely within their legal rights, and were met with an outrageously brutal response. This massive dissonance produces a visceral reaction in most people — in men and women, parents and children, and, especially, in other students and educators alike. Yes, #WeAreAllAyotzinapa.
Secondly, whereas in all the other cases in Mexico the circumstances of the events and the responsible parties were unclear — the evidence in Ayotzinapa is undeniable. There may have been several violations of human rights in the past, but in Ayotzinapa, it is clear that the state participated directly. In a remarkable show of the power of journalism and information, the abduction of the 43 students by the state police was documented live. The world witnessed: It was the state — “Fue el estado.”
Thus, as skeptical as we may be of the power of social movements to achieve change — and change for the better — the circumstances of Ayotzinapa could provide that powerful impetus. It would be a missed opportunity to settle for something as comfortable as silence. Since earlier social movements, especially the Movimiento por la Paz led by Javier Sicilia in 2011, the world has been exposed to Mexico’s escalating crisis. We’ve learned about Mexico’s tradition of impunity and its complacency with violence. These past caravans and contestations have essentially paved the way for Ayotzinapa’s success in mobilizing all corners of the world.
On Friday, November 21, Mexicans went on a national protest to demand justice. Meanwhile, Mexican residents and supporters protested in Capitol Hill, Germany, Chile, India, Bolivia, Australia, Spain and France, and an art installation was set up on Brown’s Main Green in memory of the 43 disappeared students. No matter how far we are from Mexico, or how indirect our actions can be, we can all play a role in determining how the next few months will unfold. Global support for Ayotzinapa increases the political costs of government inaction — and we know that if there is one thing Peña Nieto cares about, it’s his international reputation.
We should also not forget that ideas, discourses and policies in the US affect Mexican citizens, and therefore raising awareness here can have a significant effect on outcomes in Mexico. While the problem manifests itself in Mexico, the roots are historically grounded and transnational. Mexican leaders may pull the trigger, but the US provides the money and guns. Yet there is resistance to bring about change on the issue of military and financial aid for the war on drugs abroad. It is also no secret that demand for drugs by US citizens is high and driving this market; in fact, 60 percent of cartel profits come from selling marijuana in the States. Furthermore, the decision to consume drugs here on Brown’s campus is not only a personal or health-related matter — this is a political decision, like voting or working on a campaign.
The panel was a first step in extending this conversation to Brown campus, and we all hope that this discussion does not stay within the walls of the auditorium. What theory and past experience has shown is that change depends on how loud the outcry is, and how big the political cost is for those in power. I quote from the panel: “If we yell, perhaps nothing may come of it; But if we don’t yell, then we can be certain nothing will come of it.”
Gracias Marina!