Lynching in Mexico highlights mistrust of institutions, advancements in oral trials
02/19/12 – A mob lynching in the State of Mexico (Estado de México, Edomex) last week has exposed some of the strengths and weaknesses in Mexico’s public security and criminal justice system. The lynching took place on the night of Friday, February 10, when over 20 people from the town of Chalco, which is about 15 … Read more
Judicial Developments and Updates in the state of Yucatán
02/18/12 (by mwserrano) – The past two months, the judiciary in the state of Yucatán has been busy with reforms, swearing ins, inaugurations, and more. Most recently, in February, the Yucatán judicial branch trained on the topic of justice for youthful offenders (justicia para adolescentes). The trainings were part of a series that began months … Read more
Implementation of “jucios orales” in Oaxaca will move forward this year
02/14/12 – The President of the State Court of Oaxaca (Tribunal Superior de Justicia del Estado, TSJE), Justice Alfredo Rivera Lagunas, expressed that in May of this year the new criminal justice system will be established in the coastal region (La Costa) of the state. This announcement came after analyzing the results of a study … Read more
Senate Proposes the Creation of a Special Auditor for the Federal Police
02/18/12— All parties of the Mexican Senate were in support of an initiative that was presented by Senator Fernando Baeza Meléndez of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional, PRI) to create a Special Auditor for the Federal Police (Auditor Especial de la Policías Federales, AEPF) as an organ of the Federal Superior Audit Agency … Read more
Coahuila approves new Code of Criminal Procedure
02/18/12 – Coahuila took a big step towards the implementation of the new criminal justice system with the approval of the new Code of Criminal Procedure. The code, enacted by Governor Ruben Moreira in a formal ceremony on February 16, 2012, was unanimously accepted by the Congress of Coahuila with 21 votes in favor, zero against, and no abstentions. Governor Moreira presided over the official … Read more
Advances in Tamaulipas towards oral trials despite lack of resources
02/18/12 – The Tamaulipas State Judiciary is continuing to work towards opening a Criminal Justice Center (Centro de Justicia Penal), the first of its kind in Mexico, and where the first oral trials in Tamaulipas will take place. Holding oral trials represents a major step toward implementing the new justice system that will be operating nationally by 2016 as mandated in … Read more
Former Governor of Tamaulipas accused of receiving money from cartels
12/02/12 – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) filed an indictment before a District Court in Texas against Antonio Peña Argüelles, arrested in San Antonio, Texas on February 8 for money laundering. According to testimonies collected by the DEA, Peña is believed to be a liaison between drug organizations and Mexican politicians, as he acted as … Read more
Increasing Numbers of Mexican Citizens Being Granted Asylum In United States
02/08/12 – In the past year, the U.S. government has granted political asylum to four Mexican citizens, which is an impressive figure considering that prior to 2010 it was nearly impossible, say activists and lawyers in El Paso, Texas. The most recent of these approved asylum cases is that of Saúl Reyes Salazar. According to information … Read more
Ciudad Juárez Activist Attacked in Mexico City
02/07/12 – On Friday February 3, 2012, Amnesty International in Mexico reported that well-known activist Norma Andrade was attacked near her home in Mexico City. According to the Los Angeles Times, local police stated that Andrade was walking her granddaughter to school in the Coyoacan neighborhood when a man approached her and slashed her face. … Read more
Issa Says Justice Department Is Obstructing ‘Fast and Furious’ Investigation
02/02/12 – On Thursday, February 2, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in order to shed new light on Operation ‘Fast and Furious’. The operation was originally designed to monitor the flow of illegal firearms purchased in the United States and smuggled across the border to Mexican … Read more
