«They've taken me, come and look for me»: the disappearance of Alicia De los Ríos Merino

Her daughter suspects that she is one of the Mexican victims thrown into the sea from airplanes during the so-called "dirty war", a practice also adopted in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Determined to bring the truth to light, she conducted a personal investigation that brought together documentary evidence, a criminal case, the search for witnesses, human rights organizations and even the help of mediums and shamans. Journalist Marcela Turati sheds light on the details of this investigation.

Among the testimonies collected is that of Valente Diego Jacinto, the oldest fisherman in Barra de Coyuca. Mr. Valente is a talkative man. He becomes emotional when recounting what he remembers about the history of this beach. He is missing some teeth, so sometimes it is difficult to understand what he says. He is the only one who does not fear questions about the death flights.

«Is it true that they threw people into the sea from here?»

The elderly man immediately answers yes. And he adds: «First they loaded them onto the airplane, then they threw them into the sea. They ended up on the beach, all with their throats cut... They slit their throats...» He pauses. «They tortured them.»

Every now and then memory falters, and the details resurface with difficulty. He recalls that there was a man from Acapulco who ordered people to be killed and thrown into the water.

Chente, an elderly neighbor of Valente Diego Jacinto, also recounts:

«They threw them out while they were still alive. Instead of arresting them, they took them up in the airplane and then hurled them into the sea. They cut their throats, then tied them to a stone and that was it. If they threw them down, it meant they were bad people, the kind who kill.»