WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas

Demilitarizing and Transforming Security Strategies

(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

The deployment of Mexico’s military to carry out policing tasks over the past decade and a half has led to serious human rights violations while failing to control criminal violence. WOLA advocates for a security model centered on building capable and accountable civilian institutions rather than on military deployment. We monitor U.S. security assistance to Mexico and propose that such cooperation focus on police and investigative reforms, anti-corruption initiatives, and human rights, rather than military assistance.