For a decade, Verónica Rosas has foregone the festive tradition of setting up a Christmas tree, the profound grief over her son’s 2015 disappearance proving too overwhelming.
Before 16-year-old Diego vanished from a Mexico City suburb, the winter season was a cherished time for mother and son, marked by the joy of selecting natural trees and adorning them with Diego’s beloved Mickey and Minnie Mouse figurines.
“It’s been too hard and I have not been able to set up a tree,” Ms Rosas explained, having recently joined other bereaved relatives to craft Christmas ornaments in poignant remembrance of their missing loved ones.
The gathering, hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Ecatepec – an area near the capital plagued by robbery, femicide, and other crimes – saw Ms Rosas and a dozen other families arrive clutching photographs of their relatives.
For several hours, these images were carefully affixed to old CDs and cardboard circles, then sprinkled with glitter.
Following a Mass and blessing by a priest, the completed ornaments were hung on a “tree of hope” inside the cathedral, where they will remain until 2 February.
“We want to draw attention to the crisis that we’re living,” stated Ms Rosas, who has since founded an organisation supporting Mexicans sharing her pain. “It’s a symbolic gesture that keeps what’s happening in plain sight.”
Official figures indicate that more than 133,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since 1952. Human trafficking, kidnapping, acts of retaliation and forced recruitment by cartel members are among the causes.
The phenomenon has affected Latin America for decades. In each country, many mothers, sons and sisters have made life-altering choices to search for their relatives — often because authorities fail to act or deliver answers.
“This has been a Way of the Cross,” said Marisol Rizo, referencing the biblical account of Jesus carrying the cross before his crucifixion. She has searched for her mother since 2012. “Thirteen years have passed and we can’t make authorities do their jobs.”
She said her children were little when her mother vanished, and juggling motherhood while searching for her took a toll.
“My mom always told me to take care of them,” she said. “But as I searched for her, I forgot about my children.”
Rizo believes her father was responsible for her mother’s disappearance in a country where at least 10 women or girls are killed because of their gender every day. He has denied any involvement.
Like numerous other relatives of the disappeared, Rizo navigates the winter season with sorrow rather than joy. She still remembers how, years ago, she spent days round Christmas posting flyers on the streets.
