Video of Traditional Wedding Between Two 12-Year-Olds in Mexico Sparks Controversy and Discussion

A video circulating on social media depicting two 12-year-old children being wed in a rural community in Guerrero, Mexico, has ignited outrage and concern. The footage, which shows a celebration in which the young couple, Natalia and Miguel, engage in a passionate kiss in wedding attire, has drawn widespread condemnation and renewed scrutiny of longstanding practices in the region.

The ceremony took place in the San Pedro Cuitlapan indigenous community in the municipality of Tlacochistlahuaca in the state of Guerrero. In mountainous areas, like the ones in Guerrero, particularly among Indigenous communities, the practice of marrying off young girls persists despite national laws prohibiting child marriage.

These unions are often informal and involve financial transactions between families, with girls as young as nine being sold for sums ranging from 40,000 to 200,000 pesos (approximately $2,000 to $10,000 USD). Payments may include cash, livestock, or goods like beer, reflecting a tradition that treats girls as commodities.

Following the viral spread of a video on social media showing a young couple celebrating their wedding with family, authorities from the Civil Registry have now issued an official statement.

Roberto Barreto Bohórquez, head of the Technical Coordination of the State Civil Registry System, stated that "It was a party organized by the families; there was no marriage, neither civil nor informal."

He also emphasized that had any such ceremony taken place, the municipal president would have needed to be notified: "We have no knowledge of any official wedding taking place in that community. No one from the Civil Registry took part in the event."

While some community members view these arrangements as cultural customs, human rights organizations argue that they constitute child exploitation and abuse. The Network for Children's Rights in Mexico (REDIM) has condemned the government's inaction, emphasizing that such practices violate children's rights and perpetuate cycles of poverty and violence. Similarly, Girls Not Brides, a global partnership to end child marriage, has called for culturally sensitive interventions that address the root causes of the practice, including poverty, lack of education, and entrenched gender norms.

While the Mexican government has taken steps to outlaw child marriage, setting the minimum legal age at 18, enforcement is inconsistent, particularly in rural areas where traditional customs hold significant sway. Informal unions, which are not legally recognized but socially accepted, continue to be prevalent. In 2018, such unions were reported in 30 of Mexico's 32 states, underscoring the challenge of eradicating the practice.