Salvadoran Father Travels in Groups to Locate His Son

Facing A Decade of Uncertainty, Salvador Antonio Artiga Morales Refuses to Give Up

Hailing from El Salvador, this father endures a painful decade of not knowing the whereabouts of his son, Gustavo, who migrated to Mexico in 2015. His last known location was Altar, Sonora.

"The search brigades empower us to keep fighting, to not forget, even though the pain is constant. We're parents, and that ever-present pain demands a relentless pursuit. With prayers, we plan to return next year, but authorities make it tough. Time marches on, and we've spent a decade in this struggle," he expresses.

Additional Insights: There is no concrete evidence in the public domain about the existence or operations of specific "Search Brigades" or a case linked to Salvador Antonio Artiga Morales and his son Gustavo. Although families and civil society groups often coordinate search efforts drawing from models such as the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), no such activity is documented in Mexico.

On August 30, 2015, he spoke to his 33-year-old son for the last time. However, the financial burden of traveling from El Salvador to Sonora limits his ability to search for Gustavo frequently. Support comes from collectives, activists, and even the National Search Commission (CNB), although their assistance is limited.

Salvador recalls his son, an activist who dedicated his time to assisting people battling addiction, conducting Alcoholics Anonymous sessions, and integrating the marginalized back into society.

"He was a beacon of kindness, helping countless individuals overcome their addictions. When he vanished, people were baffled, asking, 'Why does a good person like him disappear?' He'd rescue people off the streets and reintegrate them into their families and society. That was his greatest contribution – he was a selfless human being with noble intentions," he reminisces.

He criticizes the inaction of Salvadoran authorities, stating they prioritize politics over human rights. "They abandon us, claiming it's not their responsibility, but we are human beings and you can't abandon your own. The government should protect us, but they do nothing. It's nearly impossible for us to travel annually, so we're here for only a couple of weeks before we must return to our struggling fellow mothers," he laments.

In late April, mothers from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala undertook the third Search Brigade in Tamaulipas, Sonora, and Baja California.

"These mothers are interconnected, a bond that won't be broken, even by the authorities. Here in Mexico, the mothers offer the fathers a sense of unity. I'll go anywhere I need to find my son – from El Salvador and beyond," he pledges.

He laments that politics often take precedence over human rights in policy-and-legislation, as evidenced by Salvadoran authorities prioritizing politics over handling family-dynamics involving his missing son.
In the midst of their personal struggles, these families engage in lifestyle activities like participating in Search Brigades, aiming to locate their missing loved ones, mirroring efforts by organizations such as the International Commission on Missing Persons.
As a general-news story unfolds in El Salvador, the concern for migrants like Gustavo extends beyond politics to encompass relationships, as mothers form bonds to support one another and fight for justice for their children, no matter the challenges they face in policy-and-legislation.