The Narco News Bulletin
June 1, 2006 | Issue #41
narconews.com - Reporting on the Drug War and Democracy from Latin America
The Narco News Bulletin |
June 1, 2006 | Issue #41 |
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narconews.com - Reporting on the Drug War and Democracy from Latin America |
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On Wednesday, America del Valle, one of the leaders of the Peoples’ Front in Defense of the Land, denounced that the human rights violations against the population of San Salvador de Atenco demonstrate that Mexican president, Vicente Fox, wants to show that he “maintains a firm and strong hand over those at the bottom,” before he steps down from power.
The social leader explained to Telesur that, “the message from the State to our social movement was that the consequence for organizing ourselves is repression. From Vicente Fox, himself, the message was that he isn’t leaving power without first showing that he maintains a firm and strong hand over those at the bottom, over those of us who disobey what they impose upon us.”
Del Valle, who is currently in hiding, maintains that the aggression and brutality carried out by the police against the people of San Salvador de Atenco is an attempt to “intimidate” Mexicans who stand up for their rights.
She insists that, in light of the repression that took place on May 4th in San Salvador de Atenco, Mexicans consider the government of the State of Mexico “repressive.”
“In this country, when someone stands up for their rights, when they fight for the rights of their people, the system feels attacked and responds by persecuting those people and their causes. It wants to annihilate them,” added Del Valle.
América del Valle denounced the authorities, who have not only been holding her father in custody since the protests on May 3rd, but who also seek to arrest her.
“Right now, there is an arrest warrant over my head, which could mean prison time for me,” she explained.
The human rights violations carried out in San Salvador de Atenco, on May 3rd and 4th, have provoked alarm in the various national and international, social, civil, and union organizations, who are denouncing the police violence that resulted in over 200 arrests and numerous injuries.
On Monday, Amnesty International released a report denouncing the “countless cases of human rights violations” that remain unresolved, while at the same time, Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission is moving ahead with an investigation into the events that took place in early May.
The events in San Salvador de Atenco, and the reports being prepared by international organizations, contrast with the recent nomination of Mexico to the presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council.