Daniel Stewart - Yesterday
The United Nations Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada al Nashif, expressed her concern on Friday over the decision of the Mexican Congress to cede control of the National Guard to the Ministry of National Defense, that is, to integrate it into the army.
Archive - Mexican National Guard Agents -
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According to Al Nashif, the Mexican Constitution states that this body is of a civilian nature. However, the Senate has approved a legislative reform whereby the operational, budgetary and administrative control of the National Guard passes into the hands of military officials.
"The reforms effectively leave Mexico without a civilian police force at the federal level, further consolidating the already prominent role of the Armed Forces in public security in Mexico," he denounced.
"Human Rights mechanisms have clearly stated that the Armed Forces should only intervene in public security on a temporary basis, in exceptional circumstances, as a last resort, and always under the effective supervision of independent civilian bodies," said Al Nashif.
The High Commissioner pointed out that the militarization of the security forces "has been steadily increasing" since 2006, but this has not translated into a drop in crime. Instead, she denounced, there has been an increase in reports of "serious human rights violations" by the security forces.
She also called on the Mexican authorities to strengthen civilian oversight in the security sector and expressed concern about the reform of the Constitution that is being proposed to allow the use of the Armed Forces for public security until 2028.
Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has celebrated the approval of this law this Friday. "It is the most important thing", he assured, and highlighted the fact that the control will be in the hands of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena).
According to Al Nashif, the Mexican Constitution states that this body is of a civilian nature. However, the Senate has approved a legislative reform whereby the operational, budgetary and administrative control of the National Guard passes into the hands of military officials.
"The reforms effectively leave Mexico without a civilian police force at the federal level, further consolidating the already prominent role of the Armed Forces in public security in Mexico," he denounced.
"Human Rights mechanisms have clearly stated that the Armed Forces should only intervene in public security on a temporary basis, in exceptional circumstances, as a last resort, and always under the effective supervision of independent civilian bodies," said Al Nashif.
The High Commissioner pointed out that the militarization of the security forces "has been steadily increasing" since 2006, but this has not translated into a drop in crime. Instead, she denounced, there has been an increase in reports of "serious human rights violations" by the security forces.
She also called on the Mexican authorities to strengthen civilian oversight in the security sector and expressed concern about the reform of the Constitution that is being proposed to allow the use of the Armed Forces for public security until 2028.
Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has celebrated the approval of this law this Friday. "It is the most important thing", he assured, and highlighted the fact that the control will be in the hands of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena).
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