Mexico named a lawless state by rights organization

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY

Mexico has been designated as a lawless state, a human rights group said Thursday.

"Mexico is a country where the rule of law is used exclusively to explain and justify inaction and negligence from government and elected representatives," said José Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch's Americas division.

Vivanco's remarks come in the wake of an investigation into the disappearance of 43 students from a rural teaching college on Sept. 26 in Iguala, in southwest Mexico, after a clash with police.

The case has been an embarrassment for President Enrique Pena Nieto who has claimed a reduction in crime since taking office.

The ensuing investigation has revealed state and municipal officials with connections to organized crime and the mayor of Iguala and his wife were arrested earlier this week after being on the run just days after the disappearances.

About a dozen graves have been discovered with 38 bodies in the search for the students but no positive matches have been made.

"We cannot trust any Mexican instances of investigation because we are used to getting poor results from them. We highly respect though the Argentinian forensics team because these experts are highly experienced and professional," Vivanco said in reference to Argentinian forensics experts who are working on the case.

President Pena Nieto has refused calls to cancel a scheduled trip to China and Australia while the investigation continues.

During the 7-day trip, Pena Nieto will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, or APEC, from Nov. 10-11 in Beijing. He will then travel to Brisbane, Australia, to participate in the G-20 meting.

Mexican students on Wednesday began a three-day nationwide strike in support of the missing students’ classmates and families. Organized civil actions are planned nationwide, including marches and a sit-in in front of the country’s attorney general office in Mexico City.

www.aa.com.tr/en