Activists from Greenpeace and Amnesty International scaled the Estela de Luz monument in Mexico City to protest the nation's human rights crisis.
The demonstration occurred during the 2026 World Cup, utilizing a global sporting event to draw international attention to systemic violence and migration issues in Mexico.
Protesters climbed the monument located in the first section of the Bosque de Chapultepec. Once they reached a height of approximately 60 meters [1], they deployed a banner measuring 21 meters in length [1]. The scale of the action was intended to make the demands for human rights visibility impossible to ignore.
Reports on the number of participants vary. One account said that 35 activists took part in the action [2], while another report cited only nine activists [3]. There is also conflicting information regarding the exact date of the event, with sources citing both Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, 2024 [3, 4].
While some reports credit both Amnesty International and Greenpeace for the operation [1], other sources attributed the climb solely to Greenpeace activists [3]. Regardless of the organization involved, the group sought a dialogue with Governor Claudia Sheinbaum.
The protesters focused their demands on several critical areas of the Mexican human rights landscape. These include the ongoing crisis of forced disappearances, systemic violence, and the precarious situation of migrants passing through the country [2]. By choosing a landmark like the Estela de Luz, the activists aimed to disrupt the celebratory atmosphere of the World Cup to highlight these grievances.
“Activists scaled the Estela de Luz monument in Mexico City to protest the nation's human rights crisis.”
This protest leverages the high global visibility of the 2026 World Cup to pressure the Mexican government on international soil. By targeting a prominent landmark in the capital, activists are attempting to pivot the global narrative from sports and tourism toward the country's internal struggle with disappearances and migration rights.
