Mexico City, Mexico — Prosecutor’s Offices in Oaxaca and Veracruz are offering rewards for information about the disappearance of Mexican activist Sandra Domínguez, who was last seen along with her husband, Alexander Hernández, on October 4.
Over a month after the disappearance of the 38-year-old activist, who belonged to the Ayuuk community in the Mixe Sierra of Oaxaca in southeastern Mexico, the State Prosecutor’s Office has announced a reward of half a million pesos (over USD $24,400) for information about her whereabouts, joining with another reward of 350,000 pesos (USD $17,000) offered by the prosecutor in neighboring Veracruz.
Domínguez was well-known in the region for her dedicated work defending the rights of women and girls, assisting victims of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as supporting families of victims of disappearances and femicides.
Speaking with Aztec Reports, her friend and colleague, human rights defender Joaquín Galván, described the reward announcement as bittersweet.
“It’s an ambivalence. On the one hand, personally, it represents a light, a small hope that it might generate the effects of obtaining information to locate Sandra. But on the other hand, it represents the most desperate act the state government has made, given the inefficiency of its processes and protocols for search efforts and investigation regarding the case,” said Galván.
Domínguez’s family has mobilized since losing contact with the young lawyer at the beginning of last month, denouncing from the outset the lack of initiative and the inept actions of the state prosecutor’s office.
On October 20, authorities in Veracruz arrested a man possibly linked to the disappearance of the activist and her husband, who was found in possession of Domínguez’s phone. However, there has been no progress in the investigation or information about Domínguez or her husband’s whereabouts.
Galván, who has supported the family of his dear friend, has been very vocal about the shortcomings of the government, which had initially committed to finding the activist alive.
“I don’t see any intelligence work. Both prosecutors’ offices have limited themselves to phone tracking. But where are the interviews with suspects? With the main criminal groups that have been identified in the area? What intelligence work is being done to extract information from those sources?” asked Galván.
Galván and Domínguez have supported numerous people who have been victimized by criminal groups and the state government itself — a dangerous task in the most violent entity for human rights defenders, which could potentially suggest a line of investigation regarding Sandra’s disappearance.
In 2020 and again in 2023, Domínguez reported that high-ranking officials from Oaxaca’s government, controlled by the ruling MORENA political party, were involved in WhatsApp chats where explicit sexual content of indigenous women was shared without their consent, particularly from the Mixe Indigenous community.
Among the officials was Donato Vargas, the Coordinator of Peace Delegates, a close associate and political operator of Oaxaca’s Governor Salomón Jara.
Although some of those involved in the chat, called “Sierra XXX,” were dismissed from their positions, Vargas’ proximity to the governor has kept him in government roles to this day.
Additionally, Domínguez had supported Vargas’ former partner, lower house representative Martha Aracely Cruz, in her legal complaint against Vargas, accusing him of violence and threats.
According to Cruz, also a member of the Mixe community, Donato Vargas was physically abusive with her to the point that she suffered two miscarriages as a result of the brutal beatings he inflicted.
Moreover, Cruz reported in 2022 that Vargas had threatened to throw acid in her face or attack her with a machete if she reported him.
Despite the complaint and calls for action from civil society organizations, Governor Jara defended his loyal political operator, describing him as “very hardworking, very dedicated.”
In February 2024, Cruz reported receiving death threats after making accusations against Vargas, holding the Oaxaca government and Donato Vargas responsible if anything were to happen to her.
“I want to express that I fear for my life, that my safety and that of my family is at risk. Therefore, I make it clear: If something happens to my physical integrity, I hold the Oaxaca government and my aggressor responsible, as they have acted in complicity to continue the violence against me,” Cruz said in an open letter.
Following her support of Cruz, Sandra Domínguez also received calls and threats, as Galván recalls.
“[Sandra Domínguez] reported intimidation calls to her office. So, this is the main component that we are missing when we talk about Sandra’s disappearance: how there is a political component, very interested or very nervous about the whole situation that is unfolding, all the attention the state is receiving on this matter, and that it should be reviewed by an authority as impartial as possible to investigate to what extent there might be any responsibility in this situation,” said Galván.
