>> i will suggest is on your behalf. this is a moment. this is your moment. let's ensure that we have peaceful and productive rallies that will develop structural and systemic changes for generations to come. you are at the forefront of this cause. and as young people, our time is now. amy: the youngest states attorney in any major city in the united states. we will play excerpts of her announcement and go to the streets of baltimore for reaction. then from protests over police violence in baltimore to mexico where demonstrations are the seven month anniversary of the disappearances of 43 students in the mexican state of guerrero. >> we feel our children are alive because it was police that took them. and they didn't take any more because no more fit in the police car. and the public feels our pain as parents. we will speak with parents of the disappeared students and with intercept reporter ryan devereaux about his explosive new investigation called "ghosts of iguala." >> our investigation, based on dozens of interviews of students that survived the attack that night reveals how the federal authorities in mexico sought to connect crimes that happened that night when the evidence indicates a broader circle of responsibility and raises questions about the army's role that day. amy: all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. in baltimore, officials have lifted a 10:00 p.m. curfew and national guard troops have begun to withdraw as peaceful protests continue over the death of freddie gray. the curfew had been in place since an uprising last monday night, which left buildings and cars on fire. but protests took on a more cautious optimistic tone friday after baltimore's state attorney marilyn mosby announced a range of charges, including murder and manslaughter, against the six officers involved in gray's arrest and transport. freddie gray's family says his voicebox was crushed and his spine was 80% severed at his neck. police said they arrested gray for looking a lieutenant in the eye, then running away. mosby said police had illegally arrested gray without probable cause, then ignored his pleas for medical help. >> the findings of our comprehensive, thorough, and independent investigation coupled with the medical examiner's determination that mr.'s gray's death was a homicide, which we received today, has led us to believe that we have probable cause to file criminal charges. amy: we'll hear more of marilyn mosby's announcement, and voices from the streets of baltimore, after headlines. the man who filmed one of the videos of freddie gray's arrest has spoken out after he was arrested and released without charge. kevin moore said police have harassed and intimidated him publicizing his photo, and asking him to come forward, even though he says they already knew who he was. moore was arrested thursday along with two other "cop watch" activists from ferguson, missouri, for what he says police claimed was an illegal turn. he told vice news he believes it was an attempt to intimidate him. >> i was arrested last night. some falls, vocus, intimidation. like they really try to intimidate me. they tried to intimidate me. they took me down to precinct for like six or seven hours. i don't get no charge papers. i don't get no citations. what am i being charged for? what am i being detained for? amy: the death of freddie gray was a central focus friday as protesters across the united states joined workers around the world to mark may day. demonstrators across the country united calls for immigrant and workers' rights, and an end to police brutality. in seattle, police said three officers were injured and 16 people arrested following clashes with protesters who threw objects. protests over police violence have also erupted in tel aviv, israel, where ethiopian-israelis jews are protesting police brutality and harassment. in a situation that's drawn comparisons to baltimore security camera footage showed an israeli police officer beating a uniformed ethiopian-israeli soldier. thousands of people took to the streets in peaceful protests sunday, blocking traffic on major roadways. israeli police said dozens were injured, including many officers after some protesters threw , stones and overturned a police vehicle, while police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon. more than 40 people were arrested. here in new york city, the father of one of the 43 students missing since a police attack seven months ago in mexico, ran a 5k race to call attention to his son's case. about 50 supporters participated in the run, wearing t-shirts bearing the faces of the missing students. antonio tizapa said he saw a parallel between police violence in the u.s. and mexico. >> i think it is all government repression. what happened in baltimore, to that person, who is one person and in mexico, it has been thousands and thousands. and we haven't done anything at all because the government is repressing us so much. so the message i want to give to everyone is, please, let's open our eyes and not be afraid. amy: to see our interview with antonio tizapa, you can go to democracynow.org. we'll have more on the case of the missing 43 students later in the broadcast. human rights watch has accused the southerly coalition dropping banned cluster bombs manufactured and supplied by the united states. cluster bombs, which are designed to fan out over a wide area, often the size of a football field. they have been banned under a 2008 treaty adopted by 116 countries, although, not by saudi arabia or the united states. in nigeria, community leaders in the central state of plateau have accused government troops of killing dozens of civilians in order to avenge the deaths of six soldiers. the army has denied the reports, saying it is battling with a tribal militia apparently responsible for the soldiers' deaths. meanwhile, the army says it has rescued nearly 700 girls and women from the militant group boko haram over the past week. it's still unclear if any were among the school girls kidnapped in chibok a year ago. in texas, police have shot and killed two men they say opened fire an anti-islam event wounding a security officer. the event in garland, texas, was organized by right-wing activist pamela geller, executive director of the american freedom defense initiative, and included a contest for drawing the best caricature of the prophet muhammad. the gunmen have not been identified. two former allies of new jersey governor and possible republican presidential candidate chris christie have been indicted on federal charges over their role in lane closings on the george washington bridge. christie's former deputy chief of staff bridget anne kelly and former port authority executive director bill baroni were charged with nine counts including conspiracy to commit fraud, after prosecutors say they conspired to create a traffic jam to punish the mayor of fort lee for failing to endorse christie's re-election. david wildstein, another former port authority official and a close ally of christie's, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit , fraud for his role in the scandal. former hewlett-packard ceo carly fearing it has announced her bid for the presidential nomination. she's the second woman to into the presidential race after former secretary of state hillary clinton. she and her husband have a combined net worth of between $30 million to $129. federal regulators have released long-awaited new standards for so-called bomb trains transporting crude oil through communities across the country. the rules require companies to phase out the oldest model of tank cars within three years and retrofit or replace a later model by 2020. despite protests by local officials, the new rules will not require railroads to notify communities when oil trains pass through. in a statement, environmental groups said -- "these industry friendly regulations virtually guarantee more explosive derailments putting people and the environment at great risk." in germany, an artist has unveiled life-size bronze statues of whistleblowers edward snowden, julian assange, and chelsea manning in berlin's alexanderplatz square. the whistleblowers are shown standing on chairs with an empty chair next to them, which artist davide dormino encouraged people to stand on and speak out. >> what it is to represent the three icons heroes, that they have lost their freedom for the truth. so they remind us how it is important to tell the truth. to have the courage to know the truth. amy: and the governor of the u.s. territory of puerto rico has signed an executive order legalizing medical marijuana. governor alejandro garcia padilla said in a statement -- will offer them new hope." and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now! democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we begin today's show in baltimore, where officials have lifted a 10:00 p.m. curfew. gray's family and attorneys say his voice box was crushed, his mind was 80% severed at the neck. this comes after baltimore state's attorney marilyn mosby dramatically announced friday she had filed charges against the six officers connected to gray's arrest and transport on april 12. saying they illegally arrested gray without probable cause, then it sort his pleas for medical help -- ignored his pleas for medical help. >> i have been sworn to uphold justice and to treat every individual within the jurisdiction of baltimore city equally and fairly under the law. i take this seriously. i want the public to know that my administration is committed to creating a fair and equitable justice system for all, no matter what your occupation, your age, your race, your color, or your creed. it is my job to examine and investigate the evidence of each case and apply those facts to the elements of a crime in order to make a determination as to whether individuals should be prosecuted. this is a tremendous responsibility come about one that i sought and accepted when the citizens of baltimore city elected me as the state's attorney. and it is precisely what i did in the case of freddie gray. once alerted about this incident on april 13 investigators for my police integrity unit were deployed to investigate the circumstances surrounding mr. gray's apprehension. over the course of our independent investigation and the untimely death of mr. gray, my team worked around the clock 12 and 14 hour days to canvas an interview dozens of witnesses view numerous hours of video footage, repeatedly reviewed and listen to hours of police videotaped statements, survey the route reviewed the luminous medical records, and leveraged the information made available to us by the police department the community, and the family of mr. gray. the findings of our comprehensive, thorough, and independent investigation coupled with the medical examiner's determination that mr. gray's death was a homicide, which we received today, has led us to believe that we have probable cause to file criminal charges. while each of these officers are presumed innocent until proven guilty, we have brought the following charges -- officer caesar goodson is being charged with second-degree depraved-heart murder, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree negligent assault, manslaughter by vehicle a means of gross negligence manslaughter by vehicle by means of criminal negligence, misconduct in office, failure to secure prisoner, failure to render aid. officer william porter is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, misconduct in office. lieutenant brian rice is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, assault in the second degree, misconduct in office, false imprisonment. officer edward nero is being charged with assault in the second degree intentional. assault in the second degree, negligent. misconduct in office, false in prison -- imprisonment. officer garrett miller is being charged with assault in the second degree, assault in the second degree, negligent, misconduct in office and false imprisonment. sergeant alicia white is being charged with manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter second-degree assault, misconduct in office. to the people of baltimore and the demonstrators across america, i heard your call for no justice, no peace. your keys is sincerely needed as i worked to deliver justice on behalf of of this young man. to those that are angry, hurt or have their own experiences of injustice at the hands of police officers, i urge you to channel the energy peacefully as we prosecute this case. i have heard your calls for no justice, no peace. however, your peace is sincerely needed as i worked to deliver justice on behalf of freddie gray. to the rank-and-file officers of the baltimore city police department please note that these accusations of the six officers are not an indictment on the entire force. i come from five generations of law enforcement. my father was an officer. my mother was an officer. several of my aunt and uncle's. my resell he departed and beloved grandfather was one of the founding members of the first black police organization in massachusetts. i can tell you that the actions of these officers will not and should not in any way damage the important working relationships between police and prosecutors as we continue to fight together to reduce crime in baltimore. thank you for your courage commitment, and sacrifice for the betterment of our community. last, but sadly not least, to the use -- youth of the city. i will seek justice on your behalf. this is a moment -- this is your moment. let's ensure that we have peaceful and productive rallies that will develop structural and systemic changes for generations to come. you are at the forefront of this cause. and as young people, our time is now. amy: that was baltimore's state attorney marilyn mosby speaking on friday. she is the youngest state's attorney of any major city in the united states. police union officials are now calling for mosby to appoint an independent prosecutor, saying her marriage to baltimore city councilmember nick mosby is a conflict of interest because his district includes the area where gray was arrested. she addressed this during her news conference on friday. >> my husband is a public servant. he works for the legislative side. i'm a prosecutor. i'm also a public servant. i appalled the law. i will prosecute any case within my jurisdiction. amy: all six officers charged in gray's death have since posted bonds of $250,000 to $350,000. meanwhile, alan bullock, one of the 18-year-olds who turned himself in for participating in riots, is facing a bond of $500,000. his stepfather maurice hawkins and mother bobbi smallwood reacted to the amount in an interview with the guardian. >> that is my son on top of the police car with the cone in his hand, hitting the window. we don't condone that. and we believe in peace. i just want justice to be held and not to be, you know, him look that as a career criminal or thug. >> my son is not an evil child. he is not somebody just to go around in her people. he's really not. he was just upset of the police walking free. you gave my son $500,000 bail for breaking up a police car and you gave these cups nothing -- nothing for murder? that is crazy. >> that's not justice. amy: amy: other protesters in baltimore have seen their bonds set as high as $100,000 for disorderly conduct. well, on sunday, i was in baltimore and got reaction to the charges against the six officers. we're walking wrong me -- walking along the gilmore houses. can you talk about what is behind you? >> this is a mural for freddie gray who was brutally murdered by police in baltimore city. we came to show our support. not to support, but love will stop this all got to stop. if it don't stop now, it's going to be a whole lot worse than what you ever thought you saw. amy: what do you think has to happen now? what did you feel about the indictments? >> is a good start. it's a good start, but it's just the beginning. that is what is import for everyone to get out and vote when it is time to vote so we can get people like marilyn mosby in office. >> get blake out here. flat out. amy: why do you say that, the mayor? >> she supposed to did her job the first day. it don't take an investigation -- if i touch you and you tell the police i hear you they going to lock me up. they brutally beat this man to death. it should not have took a week of chaos for you to indict six police officers that killed this man. >> that camera pretty much see what going on from that part of the project are right here to that corner. it don't take a rocket science to say, pull the camera up. amy: where was freddie taken down by the police? >> it initially started from north avenue with a chased him. they caught him here. whatever they did here -- amy: right here? >> yeah. at least, so they say. >> so they say. >> the police, all of them ain't bad. they know who they are. we got six on the streets and probably got 66 more. we got to get them out of here. >> one by one. >> no justice, no peace. no justice, no peace. amy: we're here at the gilmore homes where freddie gray lived. you all were just chanting, "no justice, no peace." you are wearing a shirt that says -- >> no one cares. amy: what do you mean, no one cares? >> i mean, as far as -- i don't to say nothing about police department, i'm just saying as far as the ones that were involved in the incident itself. they didn't care. man, sometimes people get put in a situation and authority and they take it for granted. they take it for granted, you know? they are here to protect us, and that is what we like. i'm not saying nothing about the baltimore police department, but those individuals need to be punished for exactly what happened to freddie gray. i have a son myself that is 20 years old. and every day that he walks outside, i worry about him. amy: how do you feel about the indictments? >> um, i'm just dennis say it was justice for the people, but it was kind of like a lesser charge. i thought they was going to be charged with something more serious. but they were charged. >> we got a lot of work ahead of us. i've been brutalized by the police. the police knocked my tooth out. it is ridiculous. amy: how did you get your teeth knocked out? >> being beat up by the police but being beat severely, and then not arrested. yeah, that is how they get down. amy: did you complain? >> i did the whole nine yards. amy: was it investigated? >> for a minute. amy: when did it happen? >> about four years ago. the police right now, they on edge. amy: what was your reaction to the state's attorney marilyn mosby? >> i'm going to say like this, they spend times when people get 20 and 30 charges and might end up with one, so what she said sounds good, but we want to see the work because you go to court, you can have 20 charges and end up with one or end up free. if people on the street do it, imagine what is going to happen when the police is involved. now that the police is involved and the police got to do it, you don't think they got top-notch lawyers? a lot of them charges going to be drop. i didn't have the right charge -- first degree. they knew what they was doing. amy: we're here across the street of the cvs pharmacy that was burned, now boarded up. people have written on the brick wall, "freddie gray: police go home." behind it, there is a group of people making a video, baltimore rap artist. >> he didn't deserve what he got. he didn't deserve it. we were fighting a war every day. amy: did you know freddie? >> i know. i grew up with freddie gray. amy: what is your name? >> nate. freddie was a great man. it saddens my heart he is not here. he was a family man. he loved his family. he had a twin sister. he loved his family. they arrested him for no reason. devon no tolerance law where -- they have a no tolerance lower you can sit on your own steps are yet to be in motion at all times. if we live in a neighborhood, why can't we sit on her own steps? why do we always have to be in motion at all times? what can i sit here and talk to my friend or my brother? we can't do that. we're constantly a target. >> my time is over. you have to make things better and you got to be better than me. amy: can you tell me your name? >> robert valentine. amy: can you talk about what you been doing to the protests? >> i'm losing my voice. tear gas and all. i am intervention. i don't want none of my babies hurt by getting a misdemeanor on them. i want them to be better than me in the generation between me when they do something to be held accountable and assume responsibility to do something with their life. amy: how did you feel about the indictments handed down on friday? >> let freedom ring. >> no justice! >> no peace! amy: kind of protest festival has been dancing their way by. please, tell me your name. >> i'm here with leaders of a beautiful struggle. we are out in all facets in the community. we are protesting, celebrating parading marching. we are out here for freddie gray. amy: expression art, how it fits in. >> is our voice. i have to get in this car. ♪ amy: can you tell me your name and your baby's name? >> rakeesha and zion. amy: can you talk about why you are out here today as zion tries to grab the microphone? >> it was important for zion to be out here, even on his young rate -- young age because he is biracial. [horns honking] because he is biracial, just making sure that he understands black lives matter, his life matters. even as a six-month-old baby, we want to spread the message that we want justice for all people. amy: can you describe his onsie to me? >> this was made by my husband. >> we put his black power fist on the front of his shirt. we threw it on his shirt this morning we decided to come out. amy: what is your name? >> chris metzger. he is supporting the cause through what he is wearing, for being out here today. amy: how old is he? >> he just turned six months old. [rapping] >> my name is air jordan. tradition. this is dense or you will remember [indiscernible] not just because the color of their skin, but because of the color of their soul when i see it a child that closer to god, the only thing [indiscernible] on the court. in the courts. >> a name is martina. i live here in baltimore. a lot of people are talented here in baltimore. there are a lot of different groups like the group i am part of. we use art to advocate for justice. we zipped it through poetry, hip-hop, maybe even -- we use it through poetry, hip-hop, maybe even dance. everyone can relate to music or lyricism. we use that because we know people can connect to it. wizened to express how we feel and to wake-up people who are not conscious of what is going on in their communities or in the world. >> my name is tony. i have a picture in my backpack. every last one of these people on this picture has lost their lives to law-enforcement. the only person on here -- the youngest person on here is 10 years old. amy: for to buy detroit police 5/16/10. >> the oldest person is a 92-year-old lady who lost their lives to atlanta police officers. amy: 2006, november 21. catherine johnson, 92. his has murdered by atlanta police. it starts withkumani gray murdered by nypd march 12, 2013. remer the graham, -- remer the graham, john crawford, sean bell in new york city. >> i am monique. i'm here today because i use just run a youth program. realistically i know little bit about the law. i know it to you get a conviction it doesn't stick. once us a conviction, then i will basically say ok, it is that 1% out of 99. amy: what does baltimore need? what do your kids need? >> suitable education that can connect them to better high schools and colleges. now when they get to school they're basically in remedial courses because the school system is disenfranchise them. they need better opportunities to build to sustain their families and their future -- in their future. ♪ amy: voices from the streets of baltimore on the day the curfew was lifted. sunday. six officers happen charge for the death of freddie gray. to see the performances of the spoken word pieces we played excerpts of, you can go to democracynow.org, as well as marilyn mosby's full statement baltimore state's attorney. this is democracy now! democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. when we come back we move from issues of police violence in the united states to mexico -- an explosive intercept investigation. stay with us. ♪ [music break] amy: baltimore is the home of billie holiday, thurgood marshall, and cap calloway. this is democracy now! democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. as protesters in baltimore set fire to buildings and vehicles last monday to protest the death of freddie gray, protesters in the mexican state of guerrero drove a burning truck into the congressional building in the capital. the protesters were marking seven months since the disappearance of 43 students. it was the night of september 26, 2014, when the mexican government says municipal police acting on the orders of the corrupt mayor of iguala, jose luis abarca, attacked the students from ayotzinapa rural teachers' college, then turned them over to drug gang members who killed and incinerated them. six people were killed in the initial attack, while 43 were disappeared. mexican news reports have pointed to involvement by federal authorities likely torture key witnesses. relatives of the missing students have continued to question the mexican government's account, particularly since only one of the 43 missing student's remains have been identified. they recently brought their struggle to the united states, launching a series of caravans which traveled across the country and converged here in new york. this is maría de jesús tlatempa bello spoke at the united nations permanent forum on indigenous issues in new york city. >> i am the mother of one of come here to testify and represent the 43 families. we are indigenous people, farmers, and from jerry's communities. we taught our children to work and at the same time, to study. it was a privilege our students good enter the normal school of ayotzinapa. and to be left without an opportunity to study means they migrate to other countries in search of a very -- but her life and other opportunities. in our community, it is an honor to be an honor school student. our children actualize the right to education and to disappear them is to violate their right of a full life. we're worried about the lack of guaranteed in a matter of security education, and health care in mexico. especially, for indigenous youth. amy: juan gonzalez and i spoke to maria de jesus tlatempa bello and two other relatives of missing students who were in new york with the caravans -- cruz bautista salbador is a teacher and the uncle of benjamín ascencio bautista, and clemente rodriguez moreno is the father of christian alfonso rodriguez telumbre. we started by asking mario or she doesn't believe the government's conclusion that the students are dead. >> of course not come a because -- of course not, because we feel our children are alive. because it was police that took them. and they didn't take any more because no more fit in the police car. and the public feels our pain as parents. we need information for our children. and we have received information that we passed to the government. however, they have not helped us because they don't want to help us find our children. and because of this may 26 -- since the september 26 and 27 we have not stopped searching. we will continue searching for them until we find them. juan: what are you hoping to accomplish with this trip? >> we've been doing diverse activities in our travels through the united states. and we've met a lot of people who are misinformed. that is the reason why we're here. that is the principal objective. because many people have confused the information of what really took place that day, and that is why we're here -- to inform the american public and also connect with the people who are supporting. amy: cruz, you're a teacher yourself in another normal school, and your nephew is one of the missing students. can you tell us about him? why he went to this school and the role of these schools? >> it brings hope to students who are that age who want to study because the education system or access to education in mexico is for a difficult. so people -- my nephew benjamin, is the exception because he had worked as a community teacher for a year and a program in mexico. he worked in the communities most marginalized where there is no public transportation, where there is no basic services that everyone should have. so that is what inspired him to want to become a teacher. and because -- resources, that is why the normal school is one of the requirements for entering into the normal school is to be from scarce resources and also to be bilingual in spanish as well as an indigenous language. juan: i want to ask you, the government claims what happened here with the action of a corrupt mayor conspiring with a drug gang. you don't believe that. why not? >> on september 26, what happened in iguala, the ex-president, the mayor of iguala jose luis abarca and his wife, the mexican government knew this mayor was involved in organized crime. and it was them who took our 43 students. our children, while they disappeared them, it was the police. it was the federal police and the mexican military that knew all about it. and the mexican government wants to close the case and tell us to get over our pain. we, as a parent, i'm not going to accept the government's version. we are more focused on the argentine forensics team who have given us dna tests and demonstrated scientifically that our children are alive. and now the government is saying as fact that we should not be looking for them further. and that is why we came to the united states, to let the american public know and understand to not let yourself be full by television -- fooled by television. some people are more focused on television and the television says the 43 students are dead, and that is just not true. also, we're here to remind the united states government of agreement with enrique peña nieto the president of mexico who has not complied with these agreements. the agreement entailed that all the resources sent to the mexican government, that was two, well, to combat delivered see -- to liquid see, crime, but the x can government has done everything backwards. they've sent military equipment. they've sent intelligence apparatus trucks dogs, cavalry and they have not used these resources as they should have. they disappeared people, killed people raped people. so we want to tell the united states government they should not send these resources to the mexican government. and we came here to the united states because we want you to know that the 43 are alive because alive they took them, and alive we want them back. amy: president obama hosted mexican president enrique peña nieto at the white house in january, amid political crisis caused by the disappearance of your loved ones, of the 43 students. enrique peña nieto praised obama's recent executive action on immigration while president obama said he backs mexico's drug war. cruz, your response to this? >> we know the american government has always supported the effort to fight organized crime. however, we have seen as mexicans that they're not fighting it. on the contrary, they are encouraging organized crime. there killing innocent people. there is been more extortion it in the last 10 years, more than 30,000 people disappeared in mexico at this point. the ngos have shown this. and as for the mexican government, they say there's 23,600 disappeared people. it is a wide range no? the nongovernmental organizations, there are 30,000 disappeared people, and that is troubling, what is happening in mexico. if they were really fighting organized crime, as the u.s. government says, then the crime rates would have gone down. disappearances, extortions etc. on top of that, there has been more than 150,000 people extrajudicially executed come also in the last 10 years. and they keep disappearing our young people to this day. after the 26th and 27th of september, there have continued to be extrajudicial extraditions . we just saw it happen january 6. apparently, there are not fighting organized crime. they are fighting organized people. community people who defend their people. there have been citizens in various regions of guerrero in various states in mexico who have been very concerned about the insecurity in mexico. and what do they do? what do they do then? then they send in the mexican military or the federal police to disarm the citizens. so we ask, what kind of game is this? the mexican government, the mexican military, whose side are you on? on the side of the citizenry or the side of organized crime? because what we have seen is instead of reducing organized crime, they're making it worse. juan: maria de jesus, what is been the impact of this tragedy in the rest of mexico among the people in terms of how they view the work of the government? >> in mexico, all of the people are very sad because they are in solidarity -- as parents, they understand the pain and suffering. how is it possible our own government is doing this to us? how is it possible this still happens to this day that the government blames organized crime but they are themselves part of the organized crime? how is this possible? we know where you work. we know your husband. we spend all of our time working, and we still don't have -- they say our children are throwing stones. how can you compare stones to weapons? how is this possible for the government to be doing this? people tell me i'm a mother or i'm a father and i feel your pain. i don't know what i would do if my children disappeared. and i want to tell you that we have had a lot of inner strength to continue because it is very sad to remember the 26th and twice seven. we don't know anything about our children. we don't know anything. and why did they do this to them? that is why we're here asking for support, urging america to help us find our children. amy: maria de jesus tlatempa bello j, mother ofose. before that, cruz bautista salbador. for more the interview, you can go to democracynow.org. when we come back, the intercepts ryan devereaux on his explosive two-part investigation of "ghosts of iguala," which tells the untold story of how 43 students disappeared in mexico. ♪ [music break] amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we turn now to an explosive new investigation called, "ghosts of iguala," which tells the untold story of how 43 students disappeared in mexico. the six-month investigation by ryan devereaux for the intercept is based on more than two dozen interviews with survivors of the attacks and family members of the disappeared, as well as mexican historians, human rights activists, and journalists. the intercept also reviewed official mexican state and federal records, including communication logs by security forces and sealed testimony from municipal police officers and gang members. the evidence apparently shows repeated inconsistencies obfuscations, and omissions in the government's account of what happened on the night of september 26, 2014 when the students went missing. for more we're joined now by , ryan devereaux. he is a staff reporter at the intercept. his new two-part investigation is called, "ghosts of iguala." welcome to democracy now! you spent last november in mexico and you been researching this for many months. what is the latest information on what these parents desperately fear but do not believe at this point, that the students, the 43 students are dead? >> the latest sort of official statement coming out from the federal government in mexico, the last major turn of events in the case was in january when the federal government declared they had arrived at the legal certainty regarding the students fate. namely, the students were taken by invisible police, handed over to again, then incinerated in a trash can outside a small town. they said this was the historical truth. and this historical truth was based on testimony provided by detained gangsters who said they took part in the events. there are numerous reasons to question this account that the government has delivered. the argentine team of investigators are continuing their investigation, but the government, the federal government has worked very hard to effectively say this case is closed, that they know what happened the -- but there are sorts of reasons to question that. amy: it has been said once that remains were found of one of the students? >> that's true. one of the students, alexander his remains were recovered and that was confirmed the independent argentine investigators. it is should be pointed out that team wasn't present when the federal government recover those remains in the trash that were the government says the students were incinerated. in other words, there's been no independent confirmation that the remains were recovered from the area where the government says they were recovered and furthermore, he died in a way that the government described. the government says because they discovered his remains, that means narrative provided by the detainees is true. that means the other 42 students shared his supposed fate. to date, there's no evidence to indicate that is true. amy: take us through the official account of what happened and what were the key findings in your investigation ryan? >> according to the government's account, the students arrived in iguala the night of september 26 and there was a confrontation with municipal police. the local mayor and his wife was having an event that night that a lot of people in the area sort of believed was an unofficial cookoff is of her campaign to replace him in office. the mayor supposedly was concerned the students were going to disrupt this event. as activist students, they their buses and use them to travel around job zoo -- observed rolerural teachers. they were preparing for an upcoming protest document in the one of the darkest days in mexico. ironically, this was the massacre of the student activist in 1968 will stop they were trying to get buses to attend this event. they end up in iguala and there is a confrontation with municipal police. through the student is is traveling through the signature of the city and to her on the highway. the police attempt to cut them off. there is gunfire the students believe initially officers are firing warning shots, but soon learn there actually shooting at the students. the majority of the students are taken in iguala off the third-best trying to make it through the city. the attack spells over the highway. students are attacked on the highway, removed from their bus. another group of totally unarmed civilians, totally unrelated to everything going on, a team of semi-professional soccer players is also attacked by gunmen on the highway. a number of people are killed. by the time the sun comes up the next day, you have dead bodies in three locations. you students killed at the intersection. you have bystanders killed on the highway. you one student who is found in a dirt lot not far from the scene of the attacks. his face has been cut off. his ears having cut off and his eyes removed. the government says once the students were taken, there handed over to local gangsters where they were driven out to a trash pit outside of a small town. the government claims those who did not suffocate on the way out to the pit, were interrogated about their presence in iguala that night and executed one by one. they were thrown into a pit. a pyre was made out of the bodies and there were incinerated over the course of 12 to 15 hours. there remains were smashed to dust, loaded into trash bags and tossed into a nearby river. the government claims the recovered remains from those bags. and those remains were sent to experts in austria and examined. and it was through the examination of those remains that the government was able to announce its positive identification of the one student, alexander. as i said, the argentine investigators were not there when the federal government recover those investigations -- recovered those remains. a blistering report was issued about the numerous forensic problems with the government's case, misidentification of dna profiles, it's breaking of the agreement with the argentine team and going to the location and gathering evidence independently without informing the argentine team. this argentine team is one of the most respected for his extremes in the world. -- forensic teams in the world. they've had so many problems with the thorough government they broke their silence of february. amy: the local mayor and his wife fled and were found in mexico city. the government says it was accommodation of them working with local drug gangs. what indicates it goes higher? >> the files we revealed or we reviewed detailed medications among security forces in the area including communications that were sent to army, federal police, state police working in the area at the time. through mexico's transparency law, earlier this year, a small handful of journalists managed to get a hold of military records logs and documents pertaining to the night in question. and those records showed the mexican army knew full well of the students presence in the town that night. they were on the street patrolling. they intercepted students at a hospital, a sort of medical clinic where they were attempting to get care. so the army for sure knew that the students were there that night. there were records of the students coming into iguala before they got there, well before the shots were fired. so in cases of forced disappearances, which is a key question in this case, whether or not this is a case of forced disappearance, you don't need to have directly participated in taking students for investigation to be triggered. the state actors that have knowledge of a disappearance can be held accountable. and what the records we have reviewed indicate is that the army certainly had some sense of what was going on that night. amy: and why, in this last two minutes that we have, why do you think it is so important to bring this charge of forced disappearance? what would it do? who would be arrested? >> we don't know who would be arrested. what is important, the forced disappearance investigation is open. that will lead us to who we can sort of place blame on. enforced disappearance charge is key because under mexican law the government is required to disclose public records of its investigation when evidence of grave human rights abuses, including forst disappearance emerges. so if forced disappearance investigation is actually actively pursued, we would have the possibly of learning more about what actually happened that night and potentially come have the ability to understand how this all came to be. amy: and how does this relate to the u.s.-mexico relationship and the enormous amount of money the u.s. gives to the mexican government? >> in the clip you played earlier, there was discussion about enrique peña nieto and president obama's meeting in january, jen torrey seven. one day before neighboring guerrero, at least 16 people were killed by federal police. it was the third state-sponsored massacre in less than a year. you had that case, iguala and the case earlier last year which the army was accused of killing 22 innocent civilians. the three cases in the course of a single year, three different levels a mexican secured he forces. the u.s. has spent lanes of dollars to mexico since the beginning of the so-called war on drugs in mexico. we have evidence of just tremendous systemic human rights abuses, nosy to be addressed in a real steps in to of way in the u.s. and they haven't been so far. amy: ryan devereaux, thank you for being with us. we will link to your new piece "ghosts of iguala." that does it for our show. congratulations to becca staley for the birth of for daughter. and then mark birthday for -- when mark birthday for dennis moynahan. democracy now! is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. e-mail your comments to outreach@democracynow.org or mail them to democracy now! p.o. box 693 new york, new york 10013. [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are asking you to join us in supporting link tv. the number to call is 866-359-4334. 866-359-4334. if you appreciate the news and information that democracy now! brings you, news with a heart, a news hour where we

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