Mexican Crime Boss Benjamin Arellano Felix Sentenced to 25 Years
04/02/12- Benjamin Arellano Felix, former leader of the Arellano Felix Organization (AFO) based in Tijuana, Baja California, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a federal judge in San Diego on Monday. Arellano Felix was being tried for racketeering and money laundering charges, which he had pled guilty to in January. He had also admitted that … Read more
Amendment approved to better protect journalists, car bomb detonates outside newspaper agency
03/20/12 – The past week has been a roller coaster of sorts for members of the media in Mexico. On the one hand, a historical constitutional amendment was approved with the goal of better protecting journalists, their human rights, and the freedom of expression while simultaneously targeting the impunity that exists when journalists are victimized. … Read more
LGBT Human Rights Activist Murdered; Suspected Boyfriend at Large in Yucatán
03/18/12 – On May 9, the body of human rights activist Agnes Torres Hernández (28) was found in the state of Puebla on the outskirts of San Jerónimo Coyula with all signs pointing to homicide. The body showed signs of burn marks and was partially clothed, and her throat was slit. Torres’ abandoned car was … Read more
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
