Six decapitated bodies found in Michoacán

According to the Attorney General’s Office of Michoacán the decapitated bodies of six individuals were located early in the morning on Friday in the interior of an abandoned van in the center of the Tierra Caliente de Michoacán, Apatzingán. In the last two weeks there have been twelve similar cases in that municipality, reports El Universal.

The bodies were found inside of a Chevrolet Silverado, with Guerrero license plates, abandoned near the monument La Cultura, on 1817 Constitución Avenue going towards the Tepalcatepec exit.

According to official sources, the bodies showed visible signs of torture, shots to the head, and decapitations. However, no identification was found on the bodies and their identities still remain unknown. Whoever killed them marked their backs with several “narco” messages, advising other possible murders in black and blue ink.

According to El Economista these murders amount to a total of 14 decapitated bodies located in Michoacán thus far in the year 2010.  On the 29 of last month another six decapitated bodies were found in Apatzingán.

Sources:

El Universal. “Hallan en Apatzingán cuerpos de 6 decapitados”. El Universal. 05 Febrero, 2010.

AP. “Hallan 6 decapitados en Michoacán”. El Economista. 05 Febrero, 2010.

Mexican Supreme Court upholds major tax law

The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice upheld the constitutionality of the country’s flat tax (IETU, Impuesto Empresarial a Tasa Unica) this month. Mexico implemented a national flat tax two years ago in order to create a system with a broader tax base and that would be easier to enforce, which would supposedly result in higher revenues. The 17.5% tax on goods, services, and transfers of rights-to-property replaced an asset tax in early 2008.

About 40,000 businesses affected by the IETU joined a suit challenging the law. Unlike other taxes, like the national rent tax (impuesto sobre la renta), this one lacks major deductions. As in all countries, deductions are often included to help certain businesses (such as new firms, those hiring new workers, or those providing health insurance benefits) more than others and therefore level the playing field. Some beneficial deductions not included in the IETU are those for royalty payments, credit payments, payroll taxes, and benefits for workers. Taking these away can have serious consequences for small businesses and is one reason why a pure flat tax has not been implemented in the United States.

In sum, this tax affects people differently even though it appears to treat everyone the same at first glance. For this reason, the appellants argued that the IETU violates the principle of proportional and equitable taxation embodied in the Mexico’s constitution. However, the Supreme Court dismissed these claims and upheld the law.

Sources:

Mosso, Rubén. “Desecha Corte argumentos de empresas contra el IETU.” Milenio.com Feb. 2, 2010.

Gobierno de México. “Características y objetivos del impuesto.” Servicio de Administración Tributaria. Oct. 4, 2007.

Juarez shooting leaves 16 dead

Following an attack on a group of students at a party in Ciudad Juarez this past Sunday, the Mayor José Reyes Ferriz, reported Monday morning that the number of those who died rose to 16. He also mentioned that one of the eight critically injured victims died Sunday night, while another died that Monday morning.

Most of those attending the party were university students that were celebrating a sports victory and one of the victims’  birthday.

According to an article by Milenio, the Attorney General of the Republic informed that following two lines of investigation carried out by the State Attorney General’s Office, the gang “Los Aztecas,” known to work with the drug cartel of Juarez, could be behind the massacre.

Another line of investigation is based on testimonies that place a “cholo” looking individual at the site where the university students were celebrating, before the party.

Likewise, Milenio reported that the State Attorney General’s Office informed them, according to the principal line of investigation, that a command arrived at the party looking for three drug distributors that were there, two of which were killed, while the third managed to escape. The rest of the victims, according to this version, were circumstantial.

In a press conference, Mayor José Reyes Ferriz announced that as of Tuesday the state government is offering a reward of 1 million pesos for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the attack, adding that they have received several phone calls providing important information regarding the multiple homicides. The information is currently being processed by the State Attorney General’s Office for further follow up.

Sources:

Milenio. “Indagan a Los Aztecas por masacre en Ciudad Juárez.” Milenio. February 02, 2010.

Notimex. “Fallecen dos de los heridos en el festejo estudiantil de Juárez; suman 16 los muertos.” La Crónica de Hoy. February 02, 2010.

Human rights court criticizes Mexico’s response to feminicides

The Inter-American Court on Human Rights, which hears cases of human rights violations by governments, reprimanded the Mexican government for its pitiful response to the infamous female homicides in Ciudad Juárez. Specifically, this ruling referred to three of the eight victims found dead in a field (el Campo Algodonero) in November 2001. The authorities’ slow response, inadequate investigation, failure to correctly identify some of the bodies initially, and inability to bring the murderers to justice after eight years were reprehensible.

In this monumental decision, the court ruled that the government of Mexico failed to comply with the American Convention on Human Rights as well as other international agreements by violating the victims’ and their families’ rights to access to justice, protection from violence, fair treatment, and freedom from discrimination. The court subsequently ordered the government to penalize the officials responsible for the botched investigation, pay reparations to the victims’ families, and encouraged it to issue a formal apology.

The Inter-American Court on Human Rights was established in 1979 by the Organization of American States (OSA) to help combat human rights abuses. It does so by enforcing recommendations made by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which is tasked with investigating instances of abuse and creating policy recommendations for a country to follow.

Though the court’s rulings are technically legally-binding on a country, in actuality they are often ignored by states. What gives their decisions teeth is a subsequent public outcry, political pressure from domestic and international actors, and a government’s willingness to comply with the court’s ruling. Also, very few cases get to be heard by the court and it can take years to reach that point. However, the court has had success in providing punitive damages to victims. In this case, it ordered the Mexican government to pay a total of over $800,000 pesos (about $62,000 USD) to the three families within one year. If history is an accurate guide, there is a good chance that they will receive these reparations.

Sources:

Godínez Leal, Lourdes. “Sentencia sobre Campo Algodonoero sentará precedente para América Latina.” CIMAC. Agosto 17, 2009.

González, et.al. (“Campo Algodonero”) vs. The United States of Mexico. Inter-American Court on Human Rights. Judgment of November 16, 2009, Inter-Am Ct. H.R., (Ser. C) No. (2009).

“México, condenado a investigar y procesar a los responsables intelectuales y materiales de los asesinatos de ‘Campo Algodonero’.” Difusión Jurídica. Diciembre 15, 2009.

U.S. asks congress for 310 million dollars under Merida Initiative

On Monday, the United States Government solicited congress for the allocation of 410 million dollars to Latin America for the fiscal year 2011, starting October 1. The money would be used to support counter-narcotics efforts in Mexico and Central America under the Merida Initiative.

Deputy Secretary of State, Jacob Lew, noted in a press conference that Mexico would receive 310 million dollars and Central America the rest, manifesting the need to advance to the next stage of the Initiative.

“We are working very closely with the Mexican government”, he said, also indicating that there exists efforts to strengthen institutions and law enforcement while supporting activities that improve human rights.

The Mexican Government considers the new budget request of 310 million dollars as a confirmation of U.S. commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation, outlining a new phase oriented less around equipment and more on institutional fortification.

Sources:

Notimex. “Pide Obama 310 mdd para México del plan Mérida.” La Jornada. January 02, 2010.

El Universal. “Complace a México petición de recursos de Obama.” January 01, 2010.

Indigenous people face different legal rules

In Mexico, the indigenous population makes up about 12 million people or 13% of the national population. However, many indigenous advocates still complain that they  face difficulties in making themselves heard politically and obtaining justice in Mexico’s slow legal system. One reason for this is because these communities often suffer from low education levels, lack of economic development, and some may speak Spanish as a second language (many indigenous languages are still widely spoken in Southern Mexico, especially among older generations). However, another reason is their different legal status. Many indigenous people in Mexico lack the “legal capacity” (personalidad jurídica) to enter into a contract or participate in litigation proceedings in their own name.

Andrés Galván Rivas, the President of the Senate Commission on Indigenous Affairs, has discussed two potential reforms to strengthen their power. The first involves changing indigenous people’s legal status so that they have greater individual legal standing. The second involves encouraging them to participate in policy creation. Last year, the national Senate proposed a law that would require indigenous communities to be consulted every time a new law affecting them is proposed. Other nations like Chile have taken similar steps in order to avoid marginalizing indigenous populations politically.

Moreover, international laws recognize their right to participate in the policy-making process as well as maintain their language, customs, and culture. Some of the more recent laws include the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007 and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention in 1989 (organized by the UN’s International Labour Organization). Both of these have been ratified by Mexico, yet many indigenous rights organizations say that Mexico still has to do a better job of addressing their concerns, including them in the political process, and protecting their communities’ right to autonomy.

Sources:

Notimex/AYV. “Proponen expedir Ley del Sistema Nacional de Consulta Indígena.” El Financiero en Linea. Septiembre 19, 2009.

Hernández, Gabriela. México: Indígenas, sin personalidad jurídica.” Prensa Indígena. Enero 22, 2010.

Sonora – Confrontations between two drug trafficking groups leaves seven dead

Seven people were killed during a confrontation between two armed groups early this morning in the municipality of Magdalena which is located in the northern zone of Sonora, 80 kilometers from the U.S border, according to the State Attorney General’s Office.

The agencies spokesperson, José Larrinaga Talamantes, indicated that the shooting occurred at 01:20 hours in the municipal center. A group of presumed drug traffickers were at the street crossing of Niños Héroes y José María Durazo when another group of armed persons arrived, at which point a shootout began leaving seven men dead, he said.

Elements of the State Police Investigation unit (PEI) recovered seven AK- 47 assault riffles, those known as cuerno de chivo (goat’s horn), a 12-mm caliber gun, and seven bulletproof vehicles.

He also mentioned that the deceased have yet to be identified because they were not caring any documentation.

In a similar manner, the State Police force of Nayarit reported that the altercation between presumed sicarios (hired assassins), which occurred between the avenues of Laureles and Góngora de Tepic, left a three dead and seven injured.

While most fled the scene, two gunmen died and two more were injured and detained as they attempted to flee. The event in question occurred at 12:00 hours when at least four armed men, driving in a gray van, confronted another group of presumed sicarios.

Of the bystanders injured, five out of seven are between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. Amongst them is Juan José Altamirano and his girlfriend Valeria Quiroga Mercado.

Sources:

La Jornada en línea. “Balaceras entre grupos de sicarios en Sonora y Nayarit dejan 10 muertos.” La Jornada. February 01, 2010.

Notimex en Hermosillo. “Enfrentamiento entre grupos armados deja siete muertos en Sonora.” La Cronica.  February 01, 2010.

American and Mexican border states establish same vaccine requirements

It is common knowledge that tens of thousands of people cross the US-Mexico border every day for work, school, vacation, or other reasons. Many extended families near the border often have relatives living on both sides and family visits are common. In such a transient environment, it is not uncommon for families to move to the adjacent country for work-related reasons, to be closer to family, or to live in a better environment.

For those families with children, enrolling them in school can be a hassle. Several border states on the US and Mexican side have taken steps to make this process less difficult. One of these include creating similar health requirements, specifically those regarding mandatory vaccines. Among those are vaccines against tetanus, influenza, diphtheria, and Hepatitis B.

Previously, school age children from Mexico were not required to get certain shots to attend school. As such, those who later came to live in the United States had to get the required shots before being able to enroll. A recent public awareness campaign has been launched to inform people about the need for vaccines. This campaign is particularly concerned with ensuring that the many immigrant families living in the U.S. are aware of this situation.

This infrequent instance of bi-national cooperation between adjacent states involved more than the state governments. On the Mexican side, the effort to make uniform vaccine requirements demanded coordination among public health authorities at both the state and federal level. The Pan-American Health Organization’s Mexico-United States Border Office was also actively involved.

Sources:

EFE. “La coordinación binacional permite casi la total homologación de vacunas en la frontera con México.” Yahoo en Español. Enero 20, 2010.

Former Guatemalan President’s extradition to U.S. impeded.

Under an extradition treaty, a US federal court had previously issued a warrant for the arrest of former-president Alfonso Portillo (served 2000-2003) for money laundering. Though Portillo already faces criminal charges in Guatemala, he has been out on bail for over a year now. This freedom ended on Tuesday when he was detained by Guatemalan authorities who promptly began proceedings to extradite him to the United States. However, though extradition involves the transfer of a prisoner between two countries, Portillo’s lawyers claimed that a third-party also had to agree to these proceedings—Mexico.

Portillo fled his native country for Mexico in 2004 to avoid punishment for embezzling over $15 million in public funds. Four years later, he was arrested and handed over to Guatemala (under an extradition treaty between the two countries). His defense lawyers claim that because Mexico was responsible for Portillo’s transfer to Guatemala, which enabled the latter to extradite him to the United States, Mexico is involved and must approve the current extradition proceedings.

This is not the only argument made by Portillo’s attorneys. They also claim that a head of state cannot be extradited from Guatemala, deny that he participated in money laundering in the US, and is accused of acts committed during his presidency (during which he had a degree of diplomatic immunity). While these legal issues get resolved, Portillo is being held in a Guatemalan prison specially designated for government officials. In fact, among Portillo’s prison mates are some of his former cabinet members and other officials. Whether his surroundings will change soon remains to be seen.

Sources:

Sas, Luis Angel. “Extradición a EEUU de expresidente guatemalteco depende de México.” Aol Noticias. Enero 27, 2010.

Durango reorganizes jails

The newly appointed Secretary of Public Security of Durango, Valentín Romano López, appointed Noel Díaz Rodríguez as director in charge of CERESO unit one(Durango’s correctional facility). This came in response to the alleged fight that broke out on January 20, leaving 24 inmates dead, the majority of which had been convicted of a federal crime.

Along with custodial personal, the former director of CERESO, Juvenal Zamora, was dismissed Monday by the Secretariat of Public Security and is under investigation in light of the 24 deaths.  Meanwhile penal activity and responsibility will by carried out by Noel Díaz Rodríguez.

General López, informed the media himself of the already taken initial steps taken by the state government which includes the dismissal of Juvenal Zamora and hiring of Noel Díaz Rodríguez to be in charge of the penitentiary. He also noted the addition of 50 new guards who will oversee the jail in order to improve security of the jail itself and ensure the integrity of the inmates themselves in hopes of avoiding similar situations.

Sources:

Milenio. “Para reordenar Cereso Durango corren a director”. Milenio. January 26, 2010.

Notimex. “Designan a nuevo director de penal en Durango tras muerte de 24 reos.” La Jornada. January 25, 2010.