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Mexico: More than 49,000 unidentified human remains in 2022

A report by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography indicated that the figure represents a 338% increase over 2021.

Morgue México

Voz Media (Pexels - Canva)

Published by
Verónica Silveri Pazos

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Mexico's Forensic Medical Service (Semefo) was unable to identify more than 49,000 human remains last year. A report prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) revealed that the figure represents an increase of 338% compared to 2021.

Semefo registered 130,470 human remains in 2022 (41% more than in 2021). Of the total figure, some 80,885 (62%) were identified, another 49,005 (37.6%) were not recognized and 580 (0.4%) are still under review.

During 2022, 130,470 corpses and/or human remains were received, of which 62% were identified, 37.6% were unidentified and 0.4% were pending identification. 

SPySMF2023 by Verónica Silveri

According to INEG, the bodies and other unidentified remains were accumulated across more than 9,000 forensic facilities in the country.

The serious crisis facing the country's forensic services

The public institutions responsible for carrying out this work received a budget of more than 254 million dollars last year. However, the economist and political scientist of Data Cívica Alicia Franco, commented to media outlet, El Economista, that the crisis is due to a lack of resources, which has a direct impact on the shortage of personnel and equipment.

The crisis of forensic services in Mexico is not new. A United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) has already warned of the seriousness of the situation in Mexico, expressing "its deep concern about the forensic crisis facing the country."

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