NextFin news, Protesters seeking justice for the 43 students who disappeared in 2014 rammed the gates of a military base in Mexico City with a truck and set the vehicle on fire on Thursday, September 25, 2025. The demonstration took place outside the entrance of Campo Militar, a military compound in the capital.
The protest coincided with the eve of the 11th anniversary of the disappearance of the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College students, a case that has become emblematic of alleged state involvement in violence and cover-ups in Mexico.
The students had commandeered buses in 2014 to travel to Mexico City for a protest commemorating a 1968 massacre of protesters by government forces. Authorities believe the students were abducted and killed by members of a criminal cartel with ties to government and military officials. Despite dozens of arrests, including former officials and military personnel, no convictions have been secured.
Current students from the Ayotzinapa school and relatives of the missing gathered at the military base to demand the army's cooperation in clarifying the disappearances. Protesters carried photos of the missing students during the demonstration.
During the protest, some demonstrators with covered faces backed a truck into one of the military compound's entrances and launched fireworks at it until it caught fire. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and authorities reported no injuries.
The case remains unresolved, with many details about the motive and fate of the victims still unknown. A government truth commission in 2022 declared the disappearances a "state crime," citing collusion between criminal groups and security forces at various levels, including the military.
Families and lawyers have long demanded the Mexican armed forces release hundreds of documents that could be key to solving the case, but the military has not complied. Although President Claudia Sheinbaum has replaced the prosecutor handling the case and promised new lines of investigation, families report no significant progress.
The protest on Thursday may signal more aggressive demonstrations planned for Friday, the actual anniversary of the disappearances.
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