‘We were right,’ says Pasta de Conchos Family Organization

Following the announcement made by authorities of the Federal Government about the discovery of bone remains in mine 8 of Pasta de Conchos to some of the relatives of the miners who were trapped, the Pasta de Conchos Family Organization (OFPC) celebrated this news and stated that ‘they were right’.

In addition to recognizing that this has been an achievement driven by the families, who have demanded the rescue of their relatives for more than 18 years; as well as by the actions that the current federal government administration has promoted; this can be read in the statement issued by the aforementioned civil organization and signed by Cristina Auerbach Benavides, director of the aforementioned organization.

“The announcement by the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) indicated that the rescue work led to the upper area from where – according to the logs of the time – It is recorded that 13 of the 63 miners trapped in the accident were and from that place there has been a record of the findings,” the statement reads.

Through this document, they also made a call to the authorities involved in the rescue, so that the recovery of the remains is done in a safe manner for the rescuers, that the protection of the remains is carried out in an appropriate manner, that the prompt identification of these is guaranteed in a scientific manner, giving certainty to the relatives and that the restitution of these is in a dignified manner, involving the families in the entire process.

“The Pasta de Conchos Family Organization will continue to report on the status of the rescue work, while emphasizing that they will continue with their demands to guarantee truth, justice and measures of non-repetition, among which are guarantees of safety and well-being of the miners and their families throughout the coal zone, and that the monitoring and inspection work of the mines continue,” the statement details.

The commitment made by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, president of Mexico, during his last visit on January 19, 2024, was also remembered; where he pointed out that if at the end of his administration the rescue of the 63 miners has not been concluded; He would issue a decree to guarantee the necessary budget and continue the rescue work. In addition to calling for the next federal administration to endorse this commitment.

The civil organization reports that will continue to promote the litigation of the case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) that is being processed in that instance for the responsibility of the Mexican State in violating the rights to life, integrity, judicial guarantees, protection before the law and economic, social and cultural rights, to the detriment of the workers who died in the explosion and their families. In addition to informing the international organization about this important discovery, while continuing to demand the investigation of those responsible.