Middle and South American Realm

The perpetrators of the crime were at both the state and federal levels, which the Mexican government has actively denied. The government's retelling of events has contained multiple red herrings, from their false initial claim to other misleading statements; independent investigations have since debunked the prior statements. The lack of government accountability incited mass protests throughout Mexico. For many Mexicans, this scandal was emblematic of the discord and mistrust between the government and its constituents. Subsequent international attention to this scandal has undermined the government of President Enrique Peña Nieto. As mass graves are exhumed, there is still little evidence regarding traces of these missing students. The families of these students continue to push for impartial investigations and justice, but it is uncertain when they will obtain closure.