Wow! Thalía’s personal life is often a closed book, but one topic that is dear to her heart is human rights and kidnapping. In 2002, her sisters Laura Zapata and Ernestina Sodi were kidnapped and held for ransom in Mexico City. Laura was safely released over two weeks later while Ernestina stayed with the captors for over a month. The recent news about the 43 missing college students in Guerrero, Mexico has Thalía finally opening up about the violence in her native country and what she suffered when her siblings were kidnapped.
Authorities have detained for suspects related to the missing students in Guerrero. They have also found human remains, which are being tested to see if any belong to the victims. More than just a headline, this case has sparked intense discussions about what can be done to avoid this level of violence and how the Mexican authorities can improve their involvement in solving crimes and arresting criminals.
At a recent press event, Thalía spoke to Diario Reforma about the issue of kidnapping in Latin America and Mexico.
‘I understand the pain perfectly, the tears, the desperation from mothers looking for their kid. I pray for divine justice. I say this in the first person because I lived through it and my family was attacked by violence at one point in my life. We still have scars about my sister’s kidnapping.’
She continued… ‘the life of a human being should be respected in Mexico and in any part of the world. It hurts me that something this tragic is happening in my country’.
Thalía’s family was in a better position since they have plenty of money to pay the kidnappers, but her sisters were also just lucky. It’s a shame that some care more about what happens to the famous people than these innocent 43 students. I admire Thalía for bringing light to the situation, but it takes more than her voice to make a difference.