Big Jump in US Military Dollars to Mexico as Human Rights Cases are Ignored

Dear Mexico Readers

A large increase in military aid to Mexico is included in the 2009 Supplemental funding bill currently being debated in the U.S. Congress. This boost to the package of weapons and training locked in by Bush-era Mérida Initiative (Plan Mexico) funding is a disturbing signal that the Obama Administration is following the ill-conceived path forged under Bush's presidency-prioritizing military approaches to social and economic issues. Rising U.S. military involvement in Mexico has been widely opposed by Mexican human rights groups. The latest funds were allocated as part of a broad "supplemental" budget package that skirts debate and minimizes public scrutiny.

Please tell your Congressional Representatives that you oppose further militarization of our Mexico policy. The new Administration needs to move beyond knee-jerk military responses to complex social issues. We recommend this background analysis by Laura Carlsen.

At the same time that the U.S. is boosting military aid, human rights conditions in Mexico are in decline. The atmosphere of crisis generated by widespread violence related to narco-trafficking has provided the Army and police forces a fresh pretext for ignoring human rights and defending impunity for well connected criminals and abusers.

Examples of unpunished crimes are many. In Oaxaca City more than two-dozen activists were gunned down by paramilitaries organized by state police during an uprising in 2006. The government has neither investigated nor held accountable those responsible. Even in the case of Bradley Will-the one foreigner killed-the authorities, have invented preposterous theories to shield allies and persecute opponents.

2006 was a turning point for Mexico. In May that year, weeks before the uprising in Oaxaca and months prior to the presidential election, police brutally attacked demonstrators in San Salvador Atenco in Mexico State. Federal, state, and local police arrested and tortured hundreds of demonstrators and raped or abused 26 women. No one involved in planning and carrying out the attacks and rapes has been charged, yet 12 demonstrators are still imprisoned on sentences ranging up to 112 years!

Please join the campaign to free these twelve political prisoners.

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