According to several organizations searching for the missing persons, many families do not report a missing person because of mistrust of the government. The actual number is therefore probably much higher than the officially reported figure.
“Organized crime is one of the main causes of the disappearances of people in Mexico, with a significant share or a passive role on the part of government officials,” said a UN commission targeting the disappearances.
Among the victims are activists, journalists and migrants. The number of missing women and young people is said to rise alarmingly, but the largest group of missing persons are men between the ages of 15 and 40.