On 26 September, Mexican police intercepted and opened fire on a group of students from a rural teaching college, in Iguala, in the state of Guerrero. The young people were then later attacked again by unknown individuals.

At least six people are known to have died in these attacks, 17 were injured and 43 are still missing.

"Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents but the consequence of the rule of impunity. There are still, according to government figures, over 20,000 people missing in Mexico today," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow in a letter to President Enrique Peña Nieto.

There is a strong tradition of protest and activism among teacher training college students in the impoverished rural state of Guerrero. Protests by education sector unions and students have, moreover, intensified since the education reform in 2013.

On 8 October, thousands of Mexicans took to the streets to call for justice and to demand action by the federal and regional authorities to bring back the students alive.