On February 19, 2006, an explosion occurred due to the accumulation of methane gas in the Pasta de Conchos mine, located in San Juan de Sabinas, trapping 65 miners. Recently, 12 of these miners have been rescued, and five of them have already been identified, while seven are in the process of identification.
The rescue of the miners has generated mixed feelings among the families. According to Elvira Martínez Espinoza, one of the widows of the miners, the joy of seeing some rescued is mixed with frustration over the 19 years they had to wait for this to happen. She questions the right that was denied to them from the beginning and emphasizes the importance of speeding up rescue operations so that the remaining families of the 51 victims can recover the bodies of their loved ones.
Martínez also expresses her desire to know the conditions in which her father was in the mine, the reasons for his death, and the circumstances that led to the explosion in the mine. She underscores the importance of transparency and justice in this process, urging that the work be done more quickly so families can close this painful chapter of their lives.
Over the years, the families of the miners have fought for justice and to recover the bodies of their loved ones trapped in the mine. They have denounced the lack of willingness on the part of the authorities to continue rescue efforts and have demanded that those responsible for halting such work be judged for the harm caused to the families.
In this rescue process and search for justice, families have placed their hope in the commitment expressed by President Claudia Sheinbaum to continue rescue operations until the last miner is found. Although 12 miners have been rescued, 51 still remain to be recovered, and families long for this process to be expedited to close this painful chapter in their lives as soon as possible.
