Monday, March 10, 2025 

In the most recent Amnesty Urgent Action letter, addressed to Attorney Genral Diana Salazar Méndez, the Union urged them to renew and intensify efforts to locate 23 men who went missing after a landslide in the Alausí region in March 2023. Despite initial search operations, efforts have significantly stalled, leaving families without answers. 

“It is unacceptable that after nearly two years, families are left in limbo, wondering if their loved ones will ever be found,” said Kennedy Baker, Equity Member at Large. 

On March 26, 2023, a devastating landslide buried several neighborhoods in Alausí, Ecuador, taking the lives of at least 65 people. While many victims were recovered, 23 individuals remain missing. In the face of this tragedy, affected families have tirelessly demanded that authorities continue search efforts and provide the necessary resources to ensure closure for their loved ones. Instead, government efforts have stalled, leaving families in uncertainty and grief. 

This issue reflects a larger pattern of negligence in disaster response, where marginalized communities are often ignored after initial media attention fades. The failure to adequately respond to this crisis adds to the continued suffering of the affected families but also raises serious concerns about Ecuador’s commitment to upholding human rights, including the right to truth for victim’s families. 

“I believe that the Ecuadorian government has a duty to these families. I hope The Attorney General reads our call to action and reinvests more time and effort into getting the answers these families need”, says Baker. 

We urge the Ecuadorian authorities to resume and intensify search efforts immediately to find all 23 missing men.  

We eagerly await a response from the Attorney General.  

The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows for the Union to consistently take solidarity action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.