Human Rights Challenges in Mexico
Announcement
Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on human rights challenges in Mexico.
Mexico is an important United States ally that has confronted serious human rights problems for decades. The Mexico chapter of the 2021 State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices identifies unlawful killings by government agents, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture, and restrictions on free expression and the media as among the significant human rights issues that Mexico faces. Eleven journalists have been killed to date in 2022. Between 2015 and 2021 femicides increased by roughly 137%. Oftentimes, perpetrators of these violent crimes are linked to local and transnational criminal groups or drug cartels, serving to worsen the human rights crisis.
Because impunity and corruption are widespread and deeply rooted for all crimes, the vast majority of human rights abuses go unpunished. Current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has expanded the role of the military in public security, and new cases of grave human rights abuses committed by security forces have emerged during his time in office. Meanwhile, 42 human rights defenders were killed during 2021. Congress has long sought to contribute to improving human rights conditions in Mexico, including through the Mérida Initiative. Two recent congressional letters communicated concerns to the Biden Administration about enforced disappearances and the killing of journalists.
Witnesses will discuss the latest information on the state of human rights in Mexico and offer recommendations for U.S. policy.
The hearing will be virtual. Pursuant to H. Res. 965, Members of Congress and witnesses will participate remotely via Cisco WebEx. Members of the public and the media may view the hearing by live webcast on the Commission website. The hearing will also be available for viewing on the House Digital Channel service. For any questions, please contact Kimberly Stanton (for Co-Chair McGovern) or Piero Tozzi (for Co-Chair Smith).
Hosted by:
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Opening Remarks
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Rep. James P. McGovern, Co-Chair, TLHRC
Written remarks -
Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chair TLHRC
Written remarks
Witnesses
Panel I
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Maria Luisa Aguilar Rodríguez, Coordinator for International Advocacy, Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez, Centro ProDH
Written testimony -
Paula María Saucedo Ruíz, Protection and Defense Officer, Article 19
Written testimony -
Tyler Mattiace, Americas Research, Human Rights Watch
Written testimony -
Stephanie Brewer, Director for Mexico and Migrant Rights, Washington Office on Latin America, WOLA
Written testimony -
José Cárdenas, Consultant and former State Department and National Security Council official
Written testimony
Submitted for the Record
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Rep. Raúl Grijalva, Member of the TLHRC, Statement Submitted for the Record
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Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García, Statement Submitted for the Record
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Latin America Working Group, Statement Submitted for the Record
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Solidarity Center, Statement Submitted for the Record