In an Open Letter to all Mexican political parties, Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan challenged the leaders to make human rights the cornerstone of Mexican life and a fundamental central pillar of their electoral manifesto.
“Mexico is at a cross roads. The democratic transition is about to move to a new phase in the 2006 elections, but respect for human rights – which is central to the democratic aspirations of all Mexicans - is largely absent from the political agenda, or only present in empty words. Political leaders must move from rhetoric to concrete action if Mexico is to experience a new era of human rights.”
Last night, Irene Khan led a panel discussion with political parties – including the PRD, PRI, PAN and Alternativa Democrática – and representatives of civil society on the human rights challenges facing Mexico as it prepares for 2006 elections.
Earlier in the day, Ms Khan met Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez, Interior Minister, Carlos Abascal, and Minister of Defense General Clemente Vega Garcia.
Assessing the human rights record of the Fox Administration, Ms. Khan praised the Mexican government for its progressive stand on human rights internationally, but expressed her disappointment at its failure to show equal determination to address serious human rights problems in its own country.
More: news.amnesty.org
Diary Note Mexico: Amnesty International Secretary General to visit the country
Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan will lead a High Level Mission to Mexico between 8th and 10th August 2005.
Amnesty International’s delegation will include Susan Lee, Director of the Americas programme; Rupert Knox, Researcher on Mexico; Monica Costa, Campaigner on Mexico and Judit Arenas, Head of the Office of the Secretary General.
The delegation will visit the city of Chihuahua and Mexico City and will meet state and federal authorities and members of civil society. Amnesty International has invited representatives of the main political parties to a public discussion ahead
Mexico gets new political parties
Mexico has added two political parties to its multi-party system ahead of next year's presidential elections.
The new parties -- the New Alliance and the Social Democratic and Farmer Alternative -- must earn at least 2 percent of the vote each in the 2006 race in order to keep their registration as political parties, El Universal newspaper reported.
While party leaders expressed optimism for their new endeavors, neither has any real chance at having a major affect on next year's elections with Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, of the Party of the Democratic Revolution, considered a
Mexico Parties to Curb Campaign Hostilities
Mexicos political parties agreed Tuesday to respect the results of the July 2 presidential election and curb mudslinging to ease tensions ahead of the vote.
Seven of the countrys eight political parties signed the agreement, which also asked President Vicente Fox, who has been accused of campaign interference, to refrain from commenting until after the Federal Electoral Institute has announced preliminary results.
This years presidential race is one of the closest ever with Felipe Calderon of Foxs ruling National Action Party running neck-and-neck with leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution.
More: forbes.com
Mexico leftist urges campaign cash for Stan victims
The leftist leading the race for Mexico's presidency urged political parties on Thursday to cut spending on elections next year and instead donate cash to victims of a hurricane that hit southern areas.
It was the latest in a series of gestures from Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former mayor of Mexico City, which have won him support from millions of Mexico's poor.
Lopez Obrador said his Party of the Democratic Revolution would ask Mexico's electoral watchdog IFE to reduce the amount it will spend on the election by 10 percent.
"We would be talking about
Thomas rips Mexico in illegals’ arrest case
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas told Mexico not to meddle in his prosecution of illegal immigrants Friday, a day when thousands rallied in the streets against harsh immigration reform.
Thomas had a letter hand-delivered to the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix telling the Mexican government that it is responsible for the problems associated with illegal immigration.
Thomas wrote the letter in response to a March 9 letter the consulate sent Thomas outlining a number steps the Mexican government wanted him to take in presenting a case to the grand jury against 48 illegal
Campaigning in Mexico's presidential race already under way
More than a year before Mexico's presidential election, the three apparent front-runners already are campaigning hard, stumping the nation and filling airwaves with ads, promises and tirades - even though none of them has been officially nominated.
The early start to the election season - parties won't pick their candidates until fall and the Federal Electoral Commission won't register them until Jan. 1 - underscores how eager Mexico's largest political parties are to secure the presidency as the six-year rule of President Vicente Fox winds down.
Fox was a novelty in Mexican history -
Mexico Cracks Open Myth of Sea Turtle Eggs
The fate of endangered sea turtles is entangled in a net of whispers, myths and desires among the piles of fish at the city's enormous Sonora fresh-foods market.
Although some won't admit it, the peddlers and shoppers all know where to buy turtle eggs to eat. Although it's illegal, many buy from the old man who pushes his cart through the aisles of seafood, vegetables and chili peppers.
"Lots of protein. Look at my arms!" said Alfonso Francisco Lopez, 33, a butcher who says he eats four raw turtle eggs every day,
Mexican official Morocco, an open gate for Mexico to the Arab world
The Secretary of the Justice commission on Human Rights at the Mexican House of representatives, Amalin Yabur Elias, described Morocco as an open gate for Mexico to access the Arab world, reported MAP news agency.
Elias said, on the occasion of Morocco day in Mexico City on Dec.6-9, that there are several similarities between Mexico and Morocco.
Moroccan Ambassador to Mexico, Mahmoud Rmiki, recalled the political, economic and social reforms made in Morocco and the relations between the two countries.
The president of the Mexican-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Hector Alvarez
Mexico's Calderon Vows to Avoid Fox Errors, Will Seek Allies
Felipe Calderon, the 2006 presidential candidate from President Vicente Fox's National Action Party, said he will avoid the incumbent's errors and build the alliances needed to push legislation through Congress.
Calderon said in an interview that he would consider appointing members of other parties to his cabinet to gain support for bills stalled under Fox, including proposals to boost private investment in the energy industry. Calderon criticized Fox -- whom he served under for 10 months as energy minister -- for failing to reach out to opposition politicians.
``If it's
Mexico Did A Poor Job of "Dirty Work" for the US
Mexican diplomacy is at its nadir because it is not just doing the US' "dirty work", but is doing it badly, political analysts assert.
Well-known analyst Gabriel Guerra said Mexico's foreign policy is in a very serious situation, stressing that the crisis with Argentina at the Summit of the Americas is far from accidental.
Guerra explained this is the result of a series of mistakes, a lack of strategy, experience and a median and long term plan giving Latin America its rightful place.
Mexico should be the country demonstrating the least interest
