What's Happening?
United Nations experts have called for immediate and credible action to determine the fate of Mexican human rights defenders Ricardo Lagunes and Antonio Díaz, who disappeared on January 15, 2023. The two were last seen in Colima, Mexico, after attending
a community meeting about the human rights impacts of mining operations affecting the Indigenous community of San Miguel de Aquila, Michoacán. Their disappearance is linked to a dispute involving Luxembourg-based mining company Ternium, part of the Argentine-Italian Techint Group. The UN experts have criticized the Mexican authorities for failing to effectively investigate the case and hold those responsible accountable. They also noted the company's lack of cooperation in the investigation. The case is under the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances’ Urgent Actions procedure and is protected by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Why It's Important?
This case underscores significant issues in corporate accountability and state responsibility, particularly in high-risk environments like resource extraction. The disappearance of Lagunes and Díaz highlights systemic failures in protecting human rights defenders, especially those involved in environmental and Indigenous rights. The UN experts emphasize that businesses in such sectors have heightened responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The lack of effective institutional responses not only compounds the suffering of the families involved but also sends a chilling signal to other defenders, potentially deterring them from challenging powerful economic interests. This situation calls for stronger protection mechanisms for human rights defenders and more robust corporate accountability measures.
What's Next?
The UN experts are in ongoing dialogue with the Mexican government and the involved business, stressing the need for truth, justice, and reparation. They urge Mexico to enhance its protection mechanisms for human rights defenders, ensuring their safety and ability to operate without fear of reprisal. The case also highlights the need for accountability-by-design systems, including transparent incident-tracking and evidence-preservation platforms, as well as ESG and supply-chain tools that flag high-risk human rights contexts. These measures are crucial for ensuring that rights-respecting systems are not optional in extractive industries.
Beyond the Headlines
The enforced disappearance of human rights defenders like Lagunes and Díaz has broader implications for democracy, sustainability, and the rule of law. It highlights the need for businesses to avoid infringing on human rights and to cooperate fully with investigations into serious abuses. The case also calls attention to the importance of digital protections for human rights defenders and the role of civic tech, ESG platforms, and responsible investors in promoting accountability and transparency in high-risk industries.
