22 response to its questions. When they do not exist, it creates them. These are imaginary constructions or truths. Furthermore, in all families who are experiencing a pathological bereavement, there is a kind of atemporality; yesterday is today, the event is always present. The lack of explanations as to the cause of death and the lack of the ability to connect to other “love objects” after the loss of a loved person are also characteristic. In all the families interviewed there was a before and after the traumatic situation they underwent, so that there was a radical change in their lives. When bereavement becomes chronic, the person loses interest in the external world and has a feeling of despair. In the case of the victims’ parents, none of them has been able to take charge either of themselves or of their families as they did before. The bereavement is “absolutely unbearable and cannot be understood by the parents [and] generally the siblings are those that seek to heal their parent’s grief in some way.” The parents used to take care of, protect and support their children. This is inverted after a trauma and it is the children who then have to become responsible for their parents. This happened to Ingrid Elizabeth Gómez Ayala and limited her possibilities of developing and living the life of a young woman with all the potential that life offers. It also produces self-absorption, a retraction in the affectivity of the victim’s family, as if re-establishing loving ties put them at risk of new losses. However, it is important to emphasize that there are differences within the family, according to the kind of ties that united each member to the victim. “The effects on the parents, the children and the siblings are different.” In general, those affected do not want anything and often say that they want to die because the pain is so intense that death seems to be the only escape from it. Another constant factor in the next of kin of the victims is the physical damage, because they suffer from multiple illnesses; particularly in the case of the parents, where ailments of a psychosomatic nature start from the time their children are assassinated. 1. Concerning the witness Salvador González Najarro She stated that he has problems swallowing and with his digestive system. Often various days go by when he cannot eat and has intestinal problems, a burning sensation; this indicates that he may have an ulcer. According to Mr. González, these problems arose when he found out that his son had died and, since then, his health has not recovered. It is important to emphasize that the victim was his oldest child, because in his culture, the oldest son is very important and his loss cannot be substituted by another child. 2. Concerning the witness Blanca Esperanza Ayala de la Cruz This witness also mentioned health problems to her, in particular a heart disease. She emphasized that the psychosomatic illnesses that exist are not invented by the patient and have a psychological origin. Blanca Esperanza told her that she has been unable to return to work since the event.