WATCH: 16X9’s “Disappeared”
Mother’s Day is not a day of celebration for Melissa Canez, a Canadian woman living in Puerto Vallerta, Mexico. For it was on that day, a year ago, that she learned of the disappearance of her son Diego, believed to be a kidnap victim.
And on Mother’s Day this month came a terrifying reminder—as if she needed one– that Mexico, a popular sun destination for Canadians, also has a dark and sinister side.
“I was contacted by people who have an organization for the disappeared,” she told 16X9, “and they asked me to get involved in their annual (Mother’s Day) protest, to speak out, to tell families not to stay quiet.”
READ MORE: 16X9: Missing in Mexico
But Melissa, who runs an orphanage for girls in Puerto Vallarta, said she didn’t have time. She also admits she feels a little intimidated by the violence that breaks out sporadically in her adopted country.
“The next day came the news that a woman in Mazatlan, the mother of a disappeared, was murdered. So I guess my instinct was right. We’re dealing with organized crime and corrupt police. They’re armed. I’m not.”
Melissa is convinced that gangsters and corrupt police were involved in the 2013 disappearance of Diego, a 22-year-old Canadian expat who was trying to start a martial arts business in Mexico. He was last seen in the company of an American friend, Craig Silva, on a busy street, their vehicle stopped by local police. Not a trace of the two men has been found in 12 months, even though Mexican authorities insist they carried out a thorough investigation.
READ MORE: 16X9: Dealing with Mexican police
Shortly after the disappearance, Melissa gave a sample of her DNA to a Mexican database of missing persons, and she visited a number of morgues in the region, but those efforts proved fruitless.
“I’ve heard absolutely nothing,” she says. “But I’ve started seeing Diego in my dreams now. So that’s nice.”
Melissa is also encouraged by the fact that Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto has launched a nation-wide crackdown on drug cartels and corruption, and that his government is training civilian patrols to work alongside police in urban neighborhoods.
“That makes us feel good, and maybe things are going to be better.”
Don’t miss an encore presentation of 16X9’s “Disappeared” this Saturday at 7pm.
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