Missing Central American Migrants Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras

Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues in Phoenix, Arizona

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THE OTHER BORDER - Central American Migrants Bound to the United States

Shrae & Conect

Families of Missing Central
American Migrants Fight to
Find Them

Sunk into the agony of not knowing if their loved
ones are dead or alive, the relatives of missing
Central American migrants fight to find them in a
context of violence, kidnappings and death that
have recently shaken Mexico. Armed with humble
placards showing a photo and the name of their
missing relatives, dozens of men and women from
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras joined the
caravan deemed “Step by step toward peace” that
covers the migrant’s route –as it is called– in
Southern Mexico. It is in this context that a
grassroots movement is shaping in Southern
Mexico, and renewing the urgency the missing men
and women.

Data collection and photographs by Pedro Ultreras

Mexico's Southern Border is "The Beast"

Families of missing Central American migrants Fight to Find Them

Human Trafficking Mixing-up Views on Immigration to the United States

Report: Walls, Abuses, and Deaths at the Borders

Related Articles in Barriozona



Click to enlarge

Jesenia Marlene Gaitán Cartagena
Honduras
Missing since December 19, 2007 in Nuevo Laredo,
Tamaulipas. Jesenia Marlene was headed to Dallas,
Texas. Her mother said she Jesenia made it to San
Antonio, Texas, waas deportaded to Mexico. The
last time she called home was from Nuevo Laredo,
on December 2007.

Her mother, Pricila Cartagena
Rodríguez, is looking for her. Pricila fears
that her daughter may have been
kidnapped because for the last two years
she have received anonymous phone
calls telling her she is okay, but then they
hang up. Pricila wants to tell Jesenia that
her own daughter is already 10
years-old, and that she will be welcomed
when she comes back.



	Click to enlarge

José Armando Salgado
Honduras
Missing since mid-2009. The last time he called was
from Matamoros, Mexico. José Armando lived in the
U.S. without documents for 20 years. He was
deportaded to Matamoros, where he was trying to
re-enter the U.S.

His mother, María de los Altos Ávila,
says José Armando called her from
Matamoros to tell her he was trying to
cross the border into the U.S., but the
called was lost. Since then, she has
never heard from him again.



	Click to enlarge

Luis Roberto Melgar Gómez
El Salvador
Missing since April 2009. He was 17 years-old at the
time of his disappearance. Luis Roberto was headed
to Los Angeles, California. He is from Oratorio de
Concepción, Departamento de Cuzcatlán, El
Salvador.

His mother, Blanca Areli Gómez, says
Luis Roberto left El Salvador using a
“coyote”, or human smuggler, to whom
he paid $2,300 dollars; $2,500 dollars
more were to be paid upon his arrival in
California. The “coyote” left him at the
border in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas,
Mexico. She never heard from her son or
the smuggler.


Click to enlarge

Marcos Eliseo Cochajil Pos
Guatemala
Missing since Junio 15, 2010.
The last time his family heard from him he was in
Altar, Sonora. He is from San Sebastián Reu,
Guatemala.

His sister Faustina López Pos y and her
aunt Delfina Santos Pos are looking for
him.



	Click to enlarge

Pedro Morales González
Guatemala
Missing since April 26 2007.
The last time he called his family was from Camargo,
Tamaulipas, Mexico. Pedro was hoping to reach
Houston Texas then head to Los Angeles, California.

His wife Tomassa Patajjo is looking for
him.



	Click to enlarge

Miguel Ángel Guamuch Culajay
Guatemala
Missining since June 11, 2009. The last time he
called his family in Guatemala he was in Reynosa,
Tamaulipas, Mexico.

His wife, Alicia Chajon, and three
children await his return to Guatemala.

Juan Neftalí Rodríguez Franco, missing Central American migrant from Guatemala.

Click to enlarge

Juan Neftalí Rodríguez Franco
Guatemala
Missing since September 2010. The las time his
mother heard from him he was in Tamaulipas,
Mexico. Juan Neftalí was heading to Texas. He left a
6 month-old baby in Guatemala.

Juan Neftalí was making the trip to the
U.S. with a sister. The last thing his family
knows about him is that some robbers
try to mug them, so they jumped into the
river; he was able to save his sister but
since then his fate is unknown. His
mother, Manuela de Jesús Franco, looks
for him.

Missing Central American Migrants

Have you seen them or know where they are?
Contact:
"Hermanos en el Camino" Shelter
Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mex.
Tel.+ 52 (971) 713-2264
albergue-ixtepec@hermanosenelcamino.org

Families of missing migrants interested in adding a person to this list can send the missing person's information to
this e-mail: webmaster@hisi.org
Please include the following information: Full name, country of origin, date, place and details of the disappearance,
name of the family member looking for the migrant, as well as other brief important details that you wish to
include. A photograph of the missing migrant is indispensable for his/her identifying purposes; please send it
along the above requested information.

The Endless 'Beast' Incesant flow of Central American migrants arrive to Mexico - July 27, 2011Cargo train arrives to Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico from Arriaga, Chiapas every day. Known as

Ingrese a esta página en español



		Click to enlarge

Maribel Ávila Flores
Honduras
Missing for 12 years. She was 17 years-old at the
time of her disappearance, so in 2011 she is about
29 years-old. She left a a six-month old baby under
her mother's care. Carlos Daniel, the boy, is now 12
years old.

Her mother, Virginia Ávila Flores,
participates in the "Step by Step Toward
Peace" caravan searching for her
daughter in Mexico. Her mother asks her
to return home to meet her son, now a
sixth-grader. Back home she be
welcomed with open arms.



	Click to enlarge

William Arnoldo López Román
Guatemala
Missing since August 1, 2010. He was 25 years-old
at the time of his disappearance. The last time his
family heard from him he was in Reynosa,
Tamaulipas, Mexico. William is married with three
children.

His father, Miguel Ángel López Morales,
says that since his son's disappearance,
the “coyotes” -or smugglers- have called
him four times to demand money,
supposedly because William was very ill
and needed money for his medical care.
According to the smugglers, William hurt
his head and needed various surgeries,
although they never provided Miguel
Ángel with the hospital’s information. The
family has made four money deposits
that the “coyotes” requested. The
amount sent nears $3,000 dollars.
William’s parents and wife were able to
get bank loans to come up with this
amount. They are now in debt and
paying back the loans and the interests.



	Click to enlarge

Marcelo López Vásquez
Guatemala
He left his home in Guatemala on August 1, 2010.
He was headed to San Francisco, California. Marcelo
was 36 years-old when he began his trip north. The
last time his family heard from him was on August
23, 2010, when Marcelo was in Altar, Sonora,
Mexico.

Rosendo López Mejicanos, Marcelo's
father, is one of the 300 parents that
participate in "Step by Step Toward
Peace" caravan searching for their
missing children in Mexico. A “coyote” -or
smuggler- named Luis informed him that
Marcelo was behind the others before
their trip through Arizona's desert
because he had hurt his feet. Back home,
Marcelo's parents, wife and two children
ages 10 and 2 wait to hear from him.



		Click to enlarge

Diodoro Rubén López Mérida
Guatemala
Missing since July 7, 2010. He was headed to Miami,
Florida, in the United States. The last thing the
family heard is that he got lost as he was crossing
Arizona's desert

His sister, Herlinda López Mérida, is
looking for him.


	Click to enlarge

Lourdes Suyapa Zavala
Honduras
She left her hometown, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on
February 5, 1997. The last time she called her family
she was in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, on October 31
1999. Lourdes was 19 years-old when she left
Honduras. In 2011, she may be about 37 years-old.

Maura Sánchez, her mother-in-law, is
looking for Lourdes. Her mother lacked
the strength to go look for her in Mexico.
Her family is very saddened for her
disappearance, and continue to wait for
her return. Lourdes left two children in
her hometown Tegucigalpa, now ages 18
and 20.


		Click to enlarge

Erick Fernando Salguero Franco
El Salvador
Missing since May 7, 2008. The last time he called
home he was in Mexico City. He was 11 years-old at
the time of his disappearance.

His father, Francisco Salguero, is looking
for him.



		Click to enlarge

Rafael Benjamín Aparicio
El Salvador
Missing since 1990. He was 19 years-old when left
El Salvador headed to the United States.

His mother, Ana Margarita Aparicio, is
looking for him.



	Click to enlarge

Marina Isabel Flores Sosa
El Salvador
Missing since el March 17, de 2009. The last time
her family heard from her she was in Mexico. Marina
is a native of El Salvador y was headed to Texas.

Her mother, Jesús Sosa de Flores, is
looking for her.


	Click to enlarge

Karla Morales Quiñones Mazariegos, missing Central American migrant from Guatemala.

Karla Morales Quiñones Mazariegos
Guatemala
Missing since 2009. Karla is from Puerto Barrios,
Guatemala.

Her sister, Fabiola Blanco Mazariegos, is
looking for her.


	Click to enlarge

Marisela Cecibel Ayala Aristondo,missing Central American migrant from El Salvador.

Marisela Cecibel Ayala Aristondo
El Salvador
Missing since March 24, 2006. She was travelling
with her husband Oscar Canizales Zepeda. The last
time they heard from them they were in Mexico.
Both are from El Salvador, and they were heading
to the state of Virginia in the United States.

Her mother, María del Carmen Ayala,
travelled to Mexico to look for her and
her son-in-law. Maria is taking care of the
couple's children, now ages 13 and 7.


	Click to enlarge

Oscar Canizales Zepeda, missing Central American migrant from El Salvador

Oscar Canizales Zepeda
El Salvador
Missing since March 24, 2006. He was travelling
with his wife Marisela Cecibel Ayala Aristondo. The
last time they heard from them they were in Mexico.
Both are from El Salvador, and they were heading
to the state of Virginia in the United States.

His mother-in-law, María del Carmen
Ayala, travelled to Mexico to look for him
and his daughter. Maria is taking care of
the couple's children, now ages 13 and 7.

Do you want to add a
missing migrant relative
to this list?
Families of missing
migrants interested in
adding a person to this
list can send the missing
person's information to
this e-mail:
webmaster@hisi.org
Please include the
following information: Full
name, country of origin,
date, place and details of
the disappearance, name
of the family member
looking for the migrant, as
well as other brief
important details that you
wish to include. A
photograph of the missing
migrant is indispensable
for his/her identifying
purposes; please send it
along the above
requested information.

Have you seen them or
know where they are?
Contact:
"Hermanos en el
Camino" Shelter
Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mex.
Tel.+ 52 (971) 713-2264
albergue-ixtepec@herma
nosenelca mino.org

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