Last week, the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center, the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, and Fundar, Center for Analysis and Investigation, condemned statements made by officials of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico alleging that the U.S. government has released Merida Initiative funding conditioned on Mexico’s fulfillment of several of its human rights obligations. These human rights obligations remain unfulfilled as Mexican security forces commit widespread, unpunished violations against the civilian population.
Under the Merida Initiative aid package, 15% of certain funds under the Initiative cannot be released until the Department of State issues a report confirming that Mexico is “ensuring that civilian prosecutors and judicial authorities are investigating and prosecuting” soldiers and federal police credibly accused of human rights violations.
The release of the 15% of the funds in question, if true, would violate the US law that created the Initiative, and it is the victims of such human rights violations who will suffer most from the release of these funds.
To read the statement, click here.
