Prosecuting high-ranking leaders provides justice, but it does nothing to bring families closure. To change the current stagnation, the state must decouple forensic work from political maneuvering. Right now, investigative efforts often stall because different entities use missing persons as political chips. This stops being an option if forensic agencies receive independent, protected funding that cannot be slashed during budget disputes.
The State Commission for the Identification of Missing Persons needs more teeth. Instead of merely coordinating, they should have the authority to compel local authorities to provide access to disputed sites immediately. We need a standardized, digitalized database shared in real-time between judicial and forensic bodies to prevent data silos. This removes the lag between a site discovery and a legal investigation.
Finally, integrate missing persons protocols into local police training. If every local officer sees site preservation as a standard law enforcement duty rather than a political liability, the workflow changes. We need specialized forensic units embedded within municipal police forces. When the mechanics of recovery become a routine technical procedure rather than a heavy political decision, progress happens.
