“Miguel Ángel must return alive,” they emphasized. Miguel Ángel has a name. 55 days after his disappearance, there is no trace of the environmental activist and biologist Miguel Ángel de la Torre Loranca, who was deprived of his liberty on November 21, 2025, in the town of Comalapa, in the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz. According to the statement issued by his family, the scientist was summoned that afternoon, around 4:30 p.m., by people who presumably engage in extortion, under the pretext of a “dialogue” to avoid risks to his security. Hours later, those responsible contacted a relative to demand an immediate ransom. Although the family managed to raise and deliver an initial amount as a sign of willingness to negotiate his release, no further communication has been recorded since that first contact. Miguel Ángel de la Torre Loranca is a biologist, herpetologist, environmental educator, and nature photographer, and throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to documenting the biodiversity of Veracruz. His work is particularly carried out in historically marginalized regions, as well as in scientific outreach and territorial defense through community work. Organizations and collectives have pointed out that his disappearance occurs in a national context marked by the crisis of missing persons and violence against environmental defenders. Due to the lack of visible progress, the family requested direct support from the mayor-elect of Zongolica, Ignacio “Nacho” Ramírez Flores, whom they identify as someone who knows Miguel Ángel from his time as director of the Technological Institute of Zongolica. They also mentioned that they have approached various authorities, including the Specialized Unit for Combating Kidnapping, the State Prosecutor's Office, and Governor Rocío Nahle, without having received clear responses or effective actions. They ask us to wait, while uncertainty and suffering continue. The relatives stated that they have acted within the legal framework, providing truthful information and rejecting any corrupt practices. On January 7, the Secretary of Government of Veracruz, Ricardo Ahued Bardahuil, reported that the case has properly constituted investigation files and is in an advanced stage at the corresponding Prosecutor's Office. He added that due to the confidentiality of the process, it is not possible to provide details, but he assured that there is institutional coordination and that results could emerge in the short term. However, the family demanded the immediate implementation of a coordinated search operation, access to concrete information on the progress of the case, and the allocation of sufficient resources to locate him alive. They also called on the public to provide any useful data anonymously via the phone number offered in the form where they provide details of his disappearance. “Miguel Ángel has a family.”
