Los Angeles Times
By Richard Fausset and Cecilia Sanchez
June 12, 2013
It was the kind of big-man boast that would have made Jay-Z or Bo Diddley proud: He owned 300 suits, he said. Four hundred pairs of pants, 1,000 shirts and 400 pairs of shoes. He shopped Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, "the best of Los Angeles."
Unfortunately for Andres Granier, the ex-governor of the state of Tabasco, his fellow Mexicans are in no mood to hear such stuff from the political class. Read more.
The MexicoBlog of the CIP Americas Program monitors and analyzes international press on Mexico with a focus on the US-backed War on Drugs in Mexico and the struggle in Mexico to strengthen the rule of law, justice and protection of human rights. Relevant political developments in both countries are also covered.
Showing posts with label Rule of Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rule of Law. Show all posts
Jun 20, 2013
May 7, 2012
Students Take Over City University in Michoacán
El Informador: Americas Program Original Translation
Members of the Coordinating University Students in Struggle (CUL) took over Ciudad Universidad campus facilities and the preparatory high school at the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH).
The measure, which came after the issuing of a detention order for 10 students involved in the burning of official vehicles, affects more than 50,000 students currently in the final phase of the school year.
It began in campus facilities and spread to the high schools in different parts of institution, including the Colegio de San Nicolás, where an event to commemorate the birth of Miguel Hidalgo is being held.
The members of the CUL are demanding the release of the 10 students being held responsible for the theft and burning of the vehicles on April 28. They are being held in David Franco Rodríguez Prison.
It will be recalled that yesterday, Sunday, upon the expiration of the constitutional term extension requested by the defense, the judge decided to release three detainees and declared an arrest warrant for another ten, between the ages of 19 and 22 years of age. See Spanish Original
Thus, students will have to face the charges of property damage as prisoners.
It should be mentioned that the state government announced its intention to appeal the release of the three young men who left the prison yesterday after deciding there is sufficient evidence to try them.
Translation by Michael Kane, Americas Program
Members of the Coordinating University Students in Struggle (CUL) took over Ciudad Universidad campus facilities and the preparatory high school at the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH).
The measure, which came after the issuing of a detention order for 10 students involved in the burning of official vehicles, affects more than 50,000 students currently in the final phase of the school year.
It began in campus facilities and spread to the high schools in different parts of institution, including the Colegio de San Nicolás, where an event to commemorate the birth of Miguel Hidalgo is being held.
The members of the CUL are demanding the release of the 10 students being held responsible for the theft and burning of the vehicles on April 28. They are being held in David Franco Rodríguez Prison.
It will be recalled that yesterday, Sunday, upon the expiration of the constitutional term extension requested by the defense, the judge decided to release three detainees and declared an arrest warrant for another ten, between the ages of 19 and 22 years of age. See Spanish Original
Thus, students will have to face the charges of property damage as prisoners.
It should be mentioned that the state government announced its intention to appeal the release of the three young men who left the prison yesterday after deciding there is sufficient evidence to try them.
Translation by Michael Kane, Americas Program
Apr 29, 2012
Reporter for Mexican magazine killed
latimes.com: "A reporter for a muckraking newsweekly magazine in Mexico was found dead in her home Saturday, apparently beaten and strangled, authorities said.
The journalist, Regina Martinez, covered crime and drug trafficking for Proceso magazine in the gulf state of Veracruz, where authorities said her body was found in the bathroom of her home in Xalapa, the capital. The magazine is known for high-profile coverage of narco-related crime and corruption.
State officials in Veracruz said police went to the house after receiving a telephone call. Martinez’s body showed signs of blows to the face and body and she appeared to have died of strangulation, the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement. read more
The journalist, Regina Martinez, covered crime and drug trafficking for Proceso magazine in the gulf state of Veracruz, where authorities said her body was found in the bathroom of her home in Xalapa, the capital. The magazine is known for high-profile coverage of narco-related crime and corruption.
State officials in Veracruz said police went to the house after receiving a telephone call. Martinez’s body showed signs of blows to the face and body and she appeared to have died of strangulation, the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement. read more
Apr 26, 2012
The Mexican government now shares responsibility for the safety of drug war victims
La Jornada: (Americas Program Original Translation)Towards the end of the legislature, the Senate unanimously approved the Victims Law, a legal framework that represents the beginning of a new road with more justice, attention, and care for those who have suffered due to human rights violations or the onslaught of organized crime, according to the PRI’s Jesús Murillo Karam in a forum discussion.
“It’s a very important step that vindicates human rights in this struggle between a police state and a state of total freedom in which we are currently immersed,” said PRD Senator Pablo Gómez, welcoming the new generation of law, which names the Mexican state partly responsible for attacks against life, property, and security of people and ordered compensation for the damage.
In the end, after participation of legislators from all parties, and some last minute changes to their views, the new law was passed with 94 votes in favor and none against, amid applause from relatives of victims, members of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, who remained excited in the debate guest area.
“The compromise between the Senate and the movement made in July 2011 was honored,” exclaimed Senate President José González Morfín (PAN) from the podium.
Before, there had been attempts to stop this new bill. Murillo Kara, president of the Commission of Government and one of the architects of the reform, said, forming his opinion, that it is a law “that will make us feel satisfied about having participated in this legislative session.”
The legal system, he said, was born “of brutal feelings” experienced by those who have had a relative kidnapped, disappeared, or killed, who receive no answers or solutions from the state. The Victims Law, he stressed, requires the state to respond to the aggrieved.
On behalf of the PAN, Senator Fernando Elizondo said that with this law, Mexico has put itself at the height of the provisions of international treaties on human rights. He noted that it establishes the National System for Victims, which will be responsible for ensuring that their rights are respected at all levels of government.
Former member of the PRD Thomas Torres, another one of those who worked on the law, noted that he felt it laid the basis for rebuilding the social fabric, which has been so badly affected by violence.
In turn, the PRI Fernando Baeza of Chihuahua emphasized that the main objective of this legislation, driven in conjuction with the Moviment for Peace with Justice and Dignity in the past nine months, is to legally repair the damage done to victims due to violence associated with organized crime through restitution, satisfaction, and eventually financial compensation, fixed at about 950 million pesos.
It is a law to save the memory, identity, and dignity of victims and their relatives; to know for sure what happened and who is responsible; see that they are stopped, tried, and punished; and thus combat impunity.
Carlos Sotelo, member of the PRD, mentioned other cases of victims of Felipe Cadlerón’s war and called for a moment of silence in their memory. Made in recognition of the advisory Eliana García, for her efforts with UNAM and other academic institutions in helping build the law.
Yesterday, several modifications to the draft were made, including the integration of the relief fund, assistance, and compensation for damage into budgetary resources and private donations.
The law mandates the creation of a national registry for victims, requires the state to seek out all possible options for disappeared persons, and gives the aggrieved the imprescriptible right to know the truth.
Sotelo, the PRD’s Rubén Velázquez, and the Citizen’s Movement’s Julián Huitrón Fuente Villa, called on deputies to approve the minutes that yesterday, with all speed, they referred the Senate President González Morfin. The Movement for Peace demanded the same thing. If not approved at San Lazaro, it will be pending until September. Yesterdaym the Senate passed the amendment for article 73 of the Constitution, which empowers the state to legislate in matters of victims. read more
By Andrea Becerril y Víctor Ballinas
“It’s a very important step that vindicates human rights in this struggle between a police state and a state of total freedom in which we are currently immersed,” said PRD Senator Pablo Gómez, welcoming the new generation of law, which names the Mexican state partly responsible for attacks against life, property, and security of people and ordered compensation for the damage.
In the end, after participation of legislators from all parties, and some last minute changes to their views, the new law was passed with 94 votes in favor and none against, amid applause from relatives of victims, members of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, who remained excited in the debate guest area.
“The compromise between the Senate and the movement made in July 2011 was honored,” exclaimed Senate President José González Morfín (PAN) from the podium.
Before, there had been attempts to stop this new bill. Murillo Kara, president of the Commission of Government and one of the architects of the reform, said, forming his opinion, that it is a law “that will make us feel satisfied about having participated in this legislative session.”
The legal system, he said, was born “of brutal feelings” experienced by those who have had a relative kidnapped, disappeared, or killed, who receive no answers or solutions from the state. The Victims Law, he stressed, requires the state to respond to the aggrieved.
On behalf of the PAN, Senator Fernando Elizondo said that with this law, Mexico has put itself at the height of the provisions of international treaties on human rights. He noted that it establishes the National System for Victims, which will be responsible for ensuring that their rights are respected at all levels of government.
Former member of the PRD Thomas Torres, another one of those who worked on the law, noted that he felt it laid the basis for rebuilding the social fabric, which has been so badly affected by violence.
In turn, the PRI Fernando Baeza of Chihuahua emphasized that the main objective of this legislation, driven in conjuction with the Moviment for Peace with Justice and Dignity in the past nine months, is to legally repair the damage done to victims due to violence associated with organized crime through restitution, satisfaction, and eventually financial compensation, fixed at about 950 million pesos.
It is a law to save the memory, identity, and dignity of victims and their relatives; to know for sure what happened and who is responsible; see that they are stopped, tried, and punished; and thus combat impunity.
Carlos Sotelo, member of the PRD, mentioned other cases of victims of Felipe Cadlerón’s war and called for a moment of silence in their memory. Made in recognition of the advisory Eliana García, for her efforts with UNAM and other academic institutions in helping build the law.
Yesterday, several modifications to the draft were made, including the integration of the relief fund, assistance, and compensation for damage into budgetary resources and private donations.
The law mandates the creation of a national registry for victims, requires the state to seek out all possible options for disappeared persons, and gives the aggrieved the imprescriptible right to know the truth.
Sotelo, the PRD’s Rubén Velázquez, and the Citizen’s Movement’s Julián Huitrón Fuente Villa, called on deputies to approve the minutes that yesterday, with all speed, they referred the Senate President González Morfin. The Movement for Peace demanded the same thing. If not approved at San Lazaro, it will be pending until September. Yesterdaym the Senate passed the amendment for article 73 of the Constitution, which empowers the state to legislate in matters of victims. read more
By Andrea Becerril y Víctor Ballinas
Translation by Michael Kane, Americas Program
Apr 13, 2012
State in northern Mexico files terrorism charges against 2 motorcyclists- for noisy exhausts
The Washington Post: "Prosecutors in northern Mexico have brought terrorism charges against two motorcyclists because their loud exhaust pipes backfired and caused a sound like gunshots that sent a crowd into a panicked stampede, officials said Wednesday.
It was the second time in less than a year that people have been charged in Mexico under terrorism statutes for spooking the populace in areas of the country hit by drug violence. Officials say state criminal codes often lack lesser but more appropriate charges to handle situations involving acts that may be irresponsible but are hardly criminal." read more
It was the second time in less than a year that people have been charged in Mexico under terrorism statutes for spooking the populace in areas of the country hit by drug violence. Officials say state criminal codes often lack lesser but more appropriate charges to handle situations involving acts that may be irresponsible but are hardly criminal." read more
Apr 11, 2012
Congress: Warrantless arrests, even for serious crimes
La Jornada: (Original translation by the Americas Program)
The Justice Committee of the Chamber of Deputies tightened its draft opinion on the new Federal Criminal Procedure Code, which will be voted on today, by expanding the catalog of serious crimes that do not require a warrant to arrest suspects. It also added new powers for agents who are infiltrating organized crime.
After a two week period that opened the legislation for commentary, the committee chaired by Humberto Benítez Treviño (PRI) dismissed the request by the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity to approve President Felipe Calderón’s initiative to allow any authority to carry out arrests, searches, and seizures, legalizing the army and vavy’s operations.
The document, which will be discussed in the committee this afternoon, adds that in addition to serious crimes in which a person caught in the act or under reasonable suspicion can be arrested, other crimes with an “average penalty of five years or more” will also be considered under the new legislation.
Asked about the range of offenses that it covers, Deputy Jaime Cárdenas Gracia (PT) thought it dangerous because it deals with virtually all crimes contained in Articles 193 and 194 of the current code, and probably any kind, because the trend is to increase penalties.
So far, the crimes which allow for warrantless arrests under the wording of the draft opinion are: homicide, rape, kidnapping, trafficking, and violent crimes in which weapons or explosives were used.
In addition, piracy, terrorism, genocide, escape from custody, attacks on communication infrastructure, assaults on roads or highways, injury, robbery, theft or improper use of oil or its derivatives, larceny, vehicle theft, forced disappearances, treason, espionage, sabotage, corruption of minors, child pornography, sex tourism, pandering, child abuse, and crimes against public health are included.
More additions to the bill include: torture, trafficking of undocumented immigrants, smuggling, tax evasion, diversion or obstruction of justice, counterfeiting and forgery, crimes against the national wealth and consumption, rape, habitual sale of stolen goods, crimes against the environment, copyright violations, and possession of weapons used excluively by the army, navy, or air force.
It also allows undercover agents to intervene in organized crime’s commercial traffic: they can assume positions in the infiltrated organization, enter and participate in meetings with members, and, if necessary, carry out transactions with them.
As part of their investigations, they may request operations against organized crime. Their participation will be reviewed every six months, and if it is determined that no progress is being made, the undercover operations will be cancelled.
The commission tried to refine the investigation of persons, property, and cars by requiring that authorities inform the person of the reasons and evidence for the investigation and that they will be informed of the legal consequences should they refuse it. See Spanish original
Translation by Michael Kane, Americas Program
Apr 9, 2012
Report Describes Police, Judicial Dysfunction Across Mexico's States
InSight Crime: "A new report from a Mexican think tank details the nation’s security challenges at the sub-federal level, painting a vivid and varied picture of the nation’s 32 states.
The report from Mexico Evalua is titled 'Security and Criminal Justice in the States,' and it was released earlier this week. Over the course of its 128 pages, it offers a far more detailed picture of crime in Mexico than is possible from the simple murder tally often used as the baseline for public security, and describes the states' inability to fashion a credible response." read more
The report from Mexico Evalua is titled 'Security and Criminal Justice in the States,' and it was released earlier this week. Over the course of its 128 pages, it offers a far more detailed picture of crime in Mexico than is possible from the simple murder tally often used as the baseline for public security, and describes the states' inability to fashion a credible response." read more
Apr 5, 2012
Mexico extradites alleged cocaine kingpin to New York
Reuters: "Jesus Zambada, 50, alias "The King," was taken from a top security prison in the border city of Matamoros and put on a plane to New York, where he has been indicted in a federal court in Brooklyn, Mexican officials said Wednesday.
The extradition is part of a five-year offensive against cartels by President Felipe Calderon, who discussed the drug war with President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday.
Zambada was arrested after a shoot-out in Mexico City in 2008. Among his 10 bodyguards were two active police officers." read more
The extradition is part of a five-year offensive against cartels by President Felipe Calderon, who discussed the drug war with President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday.
Zambada was arrested after a shoot-out in Mexico City in 2008. Among his 10 bodyguards were two active police officers." read more
Mar 26, 2012
Study: 80 percent of murders unpunished in Mexico
Associated Press: "Four out of five homicides go unpunished in Mexico, in part because prosecutors and police focus on less serious cases that are easier to solve, a Mexican think tank's report said Monday.
That leads to extreme situations like the northern border state of Chihuahua, where researchers found 96.4 percent of killings go unpunished, based on comparisons of the annual rates for murders and convictions in 2010. That compares to what the study calls an unenviably high nationwide average of around 80 percent." read more
That leads to extreme situations like the northern border state of Chihuahua, where researchers found 96.4 percent of killings go unpunished, based on comparisons of the annual rates for murders and convictions in 2010. That compares to what the study calls an unenviably high nationwide average of around 80 percent." read more
Mar 23, 2012
Mexican Women Human Rights Defenders Call for Full Investigation of Murder of Transgender Activist
Note: The Mexican Women Human Rights Defenders Network is made up of women activists from throughout the country and I am proud to be among its members. The Network coordinates rapid responses to attacks on women human rights defenders in the country, carries out studies and works on self-care and mutual protection and support. Unfortunately, we have been overwhelmed lately by the number of attacks and assassinations. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of Agnes and the other 16 defenders killed. Our community is saddened and lessened by their loss.
Five men have been arrested in the crime although investigation continues.
International statements and sign-ons to the declaration below can be sent to: info@cipamericas.org
We repudiate and condemn the assassination of human rights defender Agnes Torres Hernandez and we call for an end to impunity.
We demand the Mexican government immediately solve the case of the assassination of the activist for defense of the human rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual and Bisexual community.
Seventeen human rights defenders have been assassinated from 2010 to date, demonstrating the indifference of the government to guarantee the right to defend human rights.
The national network of communications and urgent action of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico condems the MURDER of the woman human rights defender Agnes Torres Hernandez.
On April 10, 2012 the body of Agnes Torres Hernandez was found with signs of torture in the hillside of Xaxocuapatle, located a kilometer from the bridge that crosses Highway Siglo XXI of Puebla.
Agnes was a 28-year old psychologist and woman human rights defender from the Lesbian Gay community, who fought for laws to give legal standing to trans people so they can modify their official documents according to their sexual identity, and thereby obtain equal employment and social opportunities.
She carried out activities on behalf of transgender people and also in academia. She graduated from the Psychology Department of the University of Veracruz in 2001, but could never receive her degree because her gender change was not recognized by the institution, which blocked her from completing the paperwork to enable her chosen name to appear on the degree.
In Puebla seven hate murders have been registered this year alone, including that of Agnes Torres Hernandez. The cases registered up to now in the state are characterized by impunity, or a lack of justice, since not no one has been arrested in any of the cases and investigations are stalled.
It is clear that the execution of Agnes Torres Hernandez took place in the context of harassment, persecution and intimidation aimed at stopping her from exercising her right to defend human rights. It is worth noting that this crime takes place in the framework of the past March 8 when Juan Pablo Castro Gamble, member of PAN youth, during the youth parliament organized by the Commission on Youth and Sports of the legislative Assembly criticize the PRD and the local government for approving laws that promote "marriage between queers."
Faced with the levels of violence and threats against human rights defenders, we demand that the Mexican State and the state of Puebla:
* Guarantee the right of women human rights defenders
* An immediate halt to criminalization and violence against women and men human rights defenders
* Immediate and exhaustive investigation into the murder of Agnes Torres Hernandez and that those responsible for the crime be tried and punished.
Mexico, March 19, 2012
The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders, Communication and Urgent Action
Alejandra Vela Garza (Alternativas Pacificas, Monterrey), Alicia Leal Puertas (Alternativas Pacíficas, DF), Aline Castellanos (Oaxaca), Ana Karen López Quintana (Tamaulipas Diversidad Vihda Trans, Tamaulipas), Ana María Hernández (Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca, Oaxaca), Alejandra Ancheita (Prodesc, DF), Alba Cruz (Oaxaca), Angélica Araceli Reveles (CLADEM-México), Beatriz Casas (BARCA, Oaxaca), Beatriz Hernández Bautista (Circulo Profesional para la Formacion con Equidad de Género !Ndudxa Ndandi!), Blanca Martínez (Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos “Fray Juan de Larios”, Coahulia), Blanca Mesina (CMDPDH, Baja California Norte), Blanca Velázquez (Centro de Apoyo al Trabajador, Puebla), Carolina Cantu (Coordinadora Guerrerense de Mujeres Indigenas y afromexicanas, Guerrero), Cecilia Espinosa Martínez (Red Mesa de Mujeres de Cd. Juárez, Cd. Juárez), Cecilia Oyorzabal Gómez (Timomatchtikan, Centro de Asesoría y Desarrollo entre Mujeres, Casa de la Mujer Indígena, Red Nacional de Asesoras y Promotoras Rurales, Puebla), Clemencia Correa (Consultora, DF), Consuelo Morales (CADHAC, Nuevo León), Cristina Cruz López (Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos Bartolomé Carrasco “Barca”, Oaxaca), Cristina Hardága (Tlachinollan, Guerrero), Daptnhe Cuevas (Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad), Diana Damián (FOCA, Chiapas), Dolores González (SERAPAZ, DF), Dora Avila (Centro para los derechos de la Mujer Nääxwiin), Edita Alavés (Mujeres Organizadas Yuubani, Oaxaca), Elga Aguilar (Comité Cerezo, DF), Emelia Ortiz (Campaña Si no están ellas no estamos todas, Oaxaca), Felicitas Martínez Solano (coordinadora Regional de Autoridades Comunitarias policía comunitaria, Guerrero), Georgina Vargas Vera (CDH Victoria Diez, Guanajuato ), Guadalupe López (Lesbianas en Patlatonalli, Jalisco), Ileana Espinoza (Red Mesa de Mujeres de Ciudad Juárez), Imelda Marrufo (Red Mesa de Mujeres de Cd. Juárez, Cd. Juárez), Irma Estrada Martinez (Tribunal Internacional de Conciencia, DF), Ixchel Carrasco Arias (Enlace Comunicación y Capacitación, Guerrero), Josefina Chávez (Cuadernos Feministas, DF), Laura Carlsen (Programa de las Américas, DF), Laura García (Semillas, DF), Laura Gutiérrez (Mujeres Unidas: Olympia de Gouges, Baja California), Laura Velázquez (JASS, DF), Leticia Burgos (Red Feminista Sonorense, Sonora), Lidia Alpizar (AWID), Lucia Lagunés Huerta (México), Luz Estela Castro (Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres, Chihuahua), Margarita Guadalupe Martínez (Chiapas), María Elena Tapia Vázquez (Código DH, Oaxaca), María Rosa Guzmán Valdez (Red de Promotoras de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres Indígenas en el Estado Jalisco, Jalisco), María Trinidad Ramírez (Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra, Atenco), Martha Figueroa (Colem, Chiapas), Martha Graciela Ramos (Mujeres por México en Chihuahua, Chihuahua), Martha Pérez Pineda (Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra, Atenco), Marusia López (JASS-Mesoamérica), Minerva Nora Martinez (BACRA, Oaxaca), Montserrat Díaz (Colectivo Feminista de Xalapa, Veracruz), Nadia Altamirano (CIMAC, Oaxaca), Nadia Maciel (Guerrero), Nadin Reyes (Comité de Familiares de Detenidos - Desaparecidos “Hasta Encontrarlos”, DF), Nora Bucio (CIMAC, Morelos), Obtilia Eugenio Manuel (Organización del Pueblo Indígena Me’phaa, Guerrero), Ofelia Cesáreo Sánchez (Coordinadora Guerrerense de Mujeres Indígenas y Afromexicanas, Guerrero), Orfe Castillo (JASS-Mesoamérica), Sandra Peniche (Servicios Humanitarios en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Yucatán), Sara Méndez (Código DH, Oaxaca), Sandra Torres Pastrana (Red Defensoras México-Consorcio, Oaxaca), Silvia Castillo Salgado (Instituto Guerrerense de Derechos Humanos, Guerrero), Silvia Vázquez (CMDPDH, Baja California Norte), Tania Ramírez (HIJOS-México, DF), Teresa Emeterio Martínez (Oaxaca), Theres Hoechli (Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca, Oaxaca), Verónica Corchado (Colectiva: arte, comunidad y equidad, Grupo Articulación Justicia en Juárez, Cd. Juárez), Verónica Cruz (Las Libres, Guanajuato), Ximena Andión (EQUIS: Justicia para las Mujeres), Ximena Cortez (Rosas Chillante, DF), Xóchitl Ramírez (Yotlakat Non Siwatl, Atzin Desarrollo Comunitario, Guerrero), Yanimiriam Valdez Baca (Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres, Chihuahua), Yenis Bernardino Rosendo (Guerrero), Yesica Sánchez Maya (Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca, Oaxaca), Yunuhen Rangel Medina (Cimac, DF).
Mar 22, 2012
Former Guerrero prosecutor charged in Ayotzinapa case
Original translation
CNN Mexico: "The former prosecutor in Guerrero, Alberto López Rosas, has been charged for allegedly obstructing the investigation of a confrontation between student teachers and authorities that resulted in the death of two young men.
The Attorney General (PGR) presented evidence against the official “for diverting from, obstructing, and concealing the investigation,” charges which could come with a sentence of up to 13 years in prison, the office said in a press release.
According to PGR investigations released in February, it was concluded that the crime scene was tampered with, some evidence disappeared, and local police fired on the students. López Rosas was the head of the state attorney’s office at the time.
This past December 12, Jorge Alexis Herrera Pino, 22 years old, and Gabriel Echeverría de Jesús, 21, died from gunshot wounds during a clash between students and security forces. The students of the Ayotzinapa Normal School blocked a tollbooth on the Sol Highway in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, demanding reforms in the institution. In the disorder, the two youths were shot and a gas station was burned down.
A week following the protest, López Rosas presented a video and accused the Federal Police of having shot into the crowd, maintaining that by the time the local police had arrived, the two students were already dead.
At this point, six arrest warrants have been issued for officials accused of obstruction of justice. They have all been released on bail.
In February, a Mexican judge issued arrest warrants for nine current and former civil servants in the Guerrero Attorney General’s Office." Spanish original
Translation: Michael Kane, Center for International Policy intern
CNN Mexico: "The former prosecutor in Guerrero, Alberto López Rosas, has been charged for allegedly obstructing the investigation of a confrontation between student teachers and authorities that resulted in the death of two young men.
The Attorney General (PGR) presented evidence against the official “for diverting from, obstructing, and concealing the investigation,” charges which could come with a sentence of up to 13 years in prison, the office said in a press release.
According to PGR investigations released in February, it was concluded that the crime scene was tampered with, some evidence disappeared, and local police fired on the students. López Rosas was the head of the state attorney’s office at the time.
This past December 12, Jorge Alexis Herrera Pino, 22 years old, and Gabriel Echeverría de Jesús, 21, died from gunshot wounds during a clash between students and security forces. The students of the Ayotzinapa Normal School blocked a tollbooth on the Sol Highway in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, demanding reforms in the institution. In the disorder, the two youths were shot and a gas station was burned down.
A week following the protest, López Rosas presented a video and accused the Federal Police of having shot into the crowd, maintaining that by the time the local police had arrived, the two students were already dead.
At this point, six arrest warrants have been issued for officials accused of obstruction of justice. They have all been released on bail.
In February, a Mexican judge issued arrest warrants for nine current and former civil servants in the Guerrero Attorney General’s Office." Spanish original
Translation: Michael Kane, Center for International Policy intern
Rule of Law: Mexico judges rule that Frenchwoman not be freed
Boston.com: "A Supreme Court panel voted Wednesday not to free a Frenchwoman who says she was unjustly sentenced to 60 years in prison for kidnapping in a case that has put Mexico's troubled justice system on trial and become a cause celebre in France.
The case of Florence Cassez has strained relations between the countries and it is also the center of a vigorous debate between Mexicans who say she was abused by the criminal justice system and those who say setting her free would only reinforce a sense that crimes such as kidnapping go unpunished.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has repeatedly called for Cassez to be freed, while Mexican President Felipe Calderon has urged the court panel to uphold justice for victims." read more
The case of Florence Cassez has strained relations between the countries and it is also the center of a vigorous debate between Mexicans who say she was abused by the criminal justice system and those who say setting her free would only reinforce a sense that crimes such as kidnapping go unpunished.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has repeatedly called for Cassez to be freed, while Mexican President Felipe Calderon has urged the court panel to uphold justice for victims." read more
Mar 21, 2012
Rule of Law: Mexico Court Says Convicted French Kidnapper's Rights Violated
Wall Street Journal: "A French woman convicted of kidnapping in Mexico could get a new trial after Mexico's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that her constitutional rights were violated by police who staged her arrest for television cameras.
But justices also ruled that Florence Cassez, 37 years old, would have to stay in prison until the court comes up with a legal formula to review her case.
The Cassez case is one of Mexico's most explosive criminal cases in decades and is seen as an overall trial of Mexico's legal system, widely regarded as opaque, and riddled with corruption and practices like torture which defy the rule of law." read more
But justices also ruled that Florence Cassez, 37 years old, would have to stay in prison until the court comes up with a legal formula to review her case.
The Cassez case is one of Mexico's most explosive criminal cases in decades and is seen as an overall trial of Mexico's legal system, widely regarded as opaque, and riddled with corruption and practices like torture which defy the rule of law." read more
Rule of Law: Calderon urges approval of security laws
El Milenio- President Felipe Calderon urged legislators to “evaluate, discuss, and pass laws that strengthen the rule of law” and claimed that “it’s time for the profound transformations that we need and that the citizens are calling for.”
While commemorating the 206th birthday of Benito Juarez Garcia, the head of the Executive branch commented on bills that are still pending approval—such as the Unified Police Command Law and the Law Against Money Laundering.
The first of these initiatives would “permit the reduction of the number of police agencies from more than 2,000 to 32 more trustworthy, strong, and effective agencies.” The second “is indispensable for dismantling the financial capacity of organized crime.”
During the speech on the Mariano Patio of the Palacio Nacional, the president reminded the audience that Juarez “persisted in the construction of a country of laws and justice” Spanish original
Translation: Mikael Rojas
While commemorating the 206th birthday of Benito Juarez Garcia, the head of the Executive branch commented on bills that are still pending approval—such as the Unified Police Command Law and the Law Against Money Laundering.
The first of these initiatives would “permit the reduction of the number of police agencies from more than 2,000 to 32 more trustworthy, strong, and effective agencies.” The second “is indispensable for dismantling the financial capacity of organized crime.”
During the speech on the Mariano Patio of the Palacio Nacional, the president reminded the audience that Juarez “persisted in the construction of a country of laws and justice” Spanish original
Translation: Mikael Rojas
Mar 16, 2012
Human Rights/Rule of Law: Federal government recognizes a lack of attention to forced disappearances
La Jornada: The Mexican government, by way of the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General, recognized the need to improve attention to the problem of forced disappearances in Mexico, welcoming recommendations by the United Nations on the topic and maintaining that it is attending to 275 cases which occurred in the 1970s and 1980s through a reparations program.
The federal agencies reported that currently “great institutional efforts were being undertaken to prevent forced disappearances, including specific actions in the security forces of the three branches of government.”
According to the Mexican government, many of the recommendations it has received from the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances “are already being implemented,” and it has therefore complied with the January 26 recommendation from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), “which found evidence of 275 cases of forced disappearance and arbitrary detention committed in the 1970s and 1980s.”
The compensation program will be developed in four stages: compensation, guarantee of non-repetition, act of pardon or recognition of responsibility on the part of the Mexican state, and comprehensive care (health, education, employment) for the victims and their families, as required by international standards.
According to reports, “during 2011, the program covered emerging damages, emotional damages, and lost profits in 24 cases and the call is open this year for all families affected as outlined in the January 26 recommendation of the CNDH.” Also, the Deputy Attorney General for Specialized Investigation of Federal Crimes will continue the investigation of cases of forced disappearances and the probable responsibility of those involved. Spanish original
Translation: Michael Kane, Center for International Policy intern
The federal agencies reported that currently “great institutional efforts were being undertaken to prevent forced disappearances, including specific actions in the security forces of the three branches of government.”
According to the Mexican government, many of the recommendations it has received from the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances “are already being implemented,” and it has therefore complied with the January 26 recommendation from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), “which found evidence of 275 cases of forced disappearance and arbitrary detention committed in the 1970s and 1980s.”
The compensation program will be developed in four stages: compensation, guarantee of non-repetition, act of pardon or recognition of responsibility on the part of the Mexican state, and comprehensive care (health, education, employment) for the victims and their families, as required by international standards.
According to reports, “during 2011, the program covered emerging damages, emotional damages, and lost profits in 24 cases and the call is open this year for all families affected as outlined in the January 26 recommendation of the CNDH.” Also, the Deputy Attorney General for Specialized Investigation of Federal Crimes will continue the investigation of cases of forced disappearances and the probable responsibility of those involved. Spanish original
Translation: Michael Kane, Center for International Policy intern
Human Rights and Rule of Law: Papal visit increases attacks against the LGBT community
La Jornada: The recent attacks against members of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community come two years after this group received the right to marry members of the same sex, but above all, these acts are occurring in the context of the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Mexico. Jaime Lopez Vela, coordinator of Agenda LGBT, warned that the visit has led to an increase in the climate of homophobia in the country.
“We are saddened and in morning again, not only for the murder of Agnes Torres and two others the same weekend, but also because there is a climate of animosity towards our community that is seriously alarming,” said the activist in a talk with La Jornada.
Interviewed via telephone after the local congressional session in Puebla, where Article 11 of the Constitution was reformed to recognize the principle of non-discrimination based on sexual preference, Lopez Vela commented that the second anniversary of the legalization of same-sex marriage forms the background for the recent series of hate crimes.
The attacks of conservative groups should also be considered in the context of the March 23rd to 25th visit of Joseph Ratzinger, given that “while they have been battering us with attacks, they have been presenting the Pope with honors, trying to exterminate the secular state.”
But despite current events, no political party has clearly offered the sexual diversity movement any opportunities for formal participation, Lopez Vela lamented— and because of this, there will be a march on Sunday to demand justice for the murders of Agnes Torres, Cesar Gonzalez, and Jorge Molottky. Spanish original
“We are saddened and in morning again, not only for the murder of Agnes Torres and two others the same weekend, but also because there is a climate of animosity towards our community that is seriously alarming,” said the activist in a talk with La Jornada.
Interviewed via telephone after the local congressional session in Puebla, where Article 11 of the Constitution was reformed to recognize the principle of non-discrimination based on sexual preference, Lopez Vela commented that the second anniversary of the legalization of same-sex marriage forms the background for the recent series of hate crimes.
The attacks of conservative groups should also be considered in the context of the March 23rd to 25th visit of Joseph Ratzinger, given that “while they have been battering us with attacks, they have been presenting the Pope with honors, trying to exterminate the secular state.”
But despite current events, no political party has clearly offered the sexual diversity movement any opportunities for formal participation, Lopez Vela lamented— and because of this, there will be a march on Sunday to demand justice for the murders of Agnes Torres, Cesar Gonzalez, and Jorge Molottky. Spanish original
Mar 15, 2012
Human Rights and Rule of Law: Mexico's "enforced" disappearances shielded by impunity, United Nations says
Houston Chronicle: "Shielded by a chronic pattern of impunity, Mexican soldiers, police and other authorities have carried out or failed to properly investigate thousands of "enforced disappearances" of Mexican citizens during the past five years of gangland violence, according to a United Nations commission.
While many such disappearances have been the work of gangsters, "not all the disappeared people have been kidnapped by members of organized crime acting alone," commission member Ariel Dulitzky, a University of Texas law professor, told Mexican officials Wednesday in a video conference from U.N. offices in Geneva.
"The participation of (government forces) in forced disappearances is also present," Dulitzky said. "Impunity affects all cases of forced disappearances." read more
While many such disappearances have been the work of gangsters, "not all the disappeared people have been kidnapped by members of organized crime acting alone," commission member Ariel Dulitzky, a University of Texas law professor, told Mexican officials Wednesday in a video conference from U.N. offices in Geneva.
"The participation of (government forces) in forced disappearances is also present," Dulitzky said. "Impunity affects all cases of forced disappearances." read more
Human Rights and Rule of Law: U.N. criticizes Mexico on drug war disappeared
Chicago Tribune: "The Mexican government has failed to properly investigate the cases of thousands of people who have disappeared in areas beset by conflict between drug gangs and security forces, the United Nations said in a report published on Wednesday. Mexico has no protocol to register the disappearances, has poor procedures to identify corpses and the justice system is wracked by chronic impunity, the report by the United Nations.
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance said. "It seems that Mexico does not have the will or is not capable of conducting the investigations needed in the cases of forced disappearances," Ariel Dulitzky, who sits on the group in Geneva, said in a video webcast.
Mexico's National Human Rights Commission has reported 5,400 cases of disappeared people across large swathes of the country since 2006, when President Felipe Calderon took power and launched an army-led offensive on drug traffickers." read more
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance said. "It seems that Mexico does not have the will or is not capable of conducting the investigations needed in the cases of forced disappearances," Ariel Dulitzky, who sits on the group in Geneva, said in a video webcast.
Mexico's National Human Rights Commission has reported 5,400 cases of disappeared people across large swathes of the country since 2006, when President Felipe Calderon took power and launched an army-led offensive on drug traffickers." read more
Feb 27, 2012
Rule of Law: Is Mexico a Failed State? … Not Yet
Excelsior: "There has been much debate over whether our nation has reached the deplorable condition of being a “failed state.” Certainly it has not, but the government is in crisis. The U.S. recently warned its citizens not to visit 14 states of the Mexican Republic and due to crime and violence, to take precautions in four others.
With criminals taking over the functions of government by extorting shopkeepers and entrepreneurs, it is as if they are collecting taxes to ensure security for their victims. Yes, reader, we refer to security that is not being provided by the three levels of government [federal, state, and local] and President Calderon, who believes that he's doing things right. Let's just think about the crisis in the Mexico prison system." read more
With criminals taking over the functions of government by extorting shopkeepers and entrepreneurs, it is as if they are collecting taxes to ensure security for their victims. Yes, reader, we refer to security that is not being provided by the three levels of government [federal, state, and local] and President Calderon, who believes that he's doing things right. Let's just think about the crisis in the Mexico prison system." read more
Feb 22, 2012
Rule of Law: Pre-Trial Detention Brews Crisis in Latin America Prisons
InSight Crime: "Recent prison disasters, with a deadly fire in Honduras and a massacre in Mexico, point to the misuse of pre-trial detention in those countries' justice systems, stuffing penal facilities with people who haven't been charged with a crime.
... Both prisons were severely overcrowded, and filled with inmates who had not yet been convicted or charged. The Mexican prison ... was at 180 percent capacity. In Honduras, two-thirds of the inmate population were being held without a charge, or were awaiting trial. The prison, designed to hold 400 inmates, housed twice that number.
Both Mexico and Honduras have employed pre-trial detention as a core part of the national strategy against organized crime. In a functioning justice system, only those deemed to be high-risk or likely to flee the country are held in prison before trial. Instead, in these countries, suspected first-offense muggers and drug dealers are locked up alongside more serious offenders, with no chance of bail.
Not only has this filled prisons beyond capacity, but it has helped to foster corruption among prison guards, who are unable to exert control over the huge inmate population. The lack of a strong government penal authority further strengthens the networks of corruption and bribery found within the system." read more
Both Mexico and Honduras have employed pre-trial detention as a core part of the national strategy against organized crime. In a functioning justice system, only those deemed to be high-risk or likely to flee the country are held in prison before trial. Instead, in these countries, suspected first-offense muggers and drug dealers are locked up alongside more serious offenders, with no chance of bail.
Not only has this filled prisons beyond capacity, but it has helped to foster corruption among prison guards, who are unable to exert control over the huge inmate population. The lack of a strong government penal authority further strengthens the networks of corruption and bribery found within the system." read more
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