Parents of 43 disappeared
Mexican students demand reopening of investigation
By
Rafael Azul
12 June 2018
The parents of the 43 missing students of the Ayotzinapa
teachers
college, who were kidnapped, disappeared and
presumed murdered on the night of
September 26, 2014
demanded in a press conference on Wednesday June 6, that
Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto obey a recent court
order, mandating the
reopening of the investigation into the
“Ayotzinapa case” and the formation of
a Truth and Justice
Commission to expose all the details of the case, including
the state’s involvement.
At the press conference, some of the parents expressed the hope
that the “doors of justice were finally about to open” with this decision from
a panel of judges.
Mario González, one of the parents, said at the press conference:
“The parents of the 43 know perfectly well that this government has not given
us any answers throughout the last four years. This is an opportunity for the
president [Peña Nieto] to show some dignity and support the new commission.”
Gonzalez added that the parents believe that the court decision “cannot be appealed,
and obligates the government to comply.”
The June 4 ruling by a panel of judges from the nineteenth
district court, based in Tamaulipas state (Primer
Tribunal Colegiado del Décimo Noveno Circuito), analyzed reports
from the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (CIDH) and from a panel of
forensic experts. It found that the investigation into the events the night
that the students disappeared was incomplete and fraudulent. The ruling also
gives the parents of the victims the power to participate by electing members
of the proposed Truth Commission.
At the press conference, other parents declared that the so-called
“historical truth”, that the students had been kidnapped by the United
Guerreros drug cartel (Guerreros
Unidos), killed, incinerated at a garbage dump, and their ashes
scattered in a nearby river, from the very beginning had been meant to cover up
for and protect the military and federal police.
The CIDH confirmed that the initial investigation by the Office of
the Attorney-General of the Republic (PGR in Spanish), which, two weeks after
the kidnapping, presented what it called “the historical truth” of the episode,
contained “serious flaws”. This was particularly true in relation to the role
of the municipal and federal police, the military, government officials and
state authorities, that may either bear direct responsibility for the crimes of
September 26 and 27, 2014, or participated in the subsequent cover-up.
The initial response from the PGR was that the court was violating
the separation of powers clause of the Mexican Constitution and overstepping
its authority.
One issue that the parents have raised since the beginning is that
much of the alleged evidence presented by the PRG in the weeks following the
kidnappings was based on confessions obtained under torture. At the press
conference, the parents also demanded that the new investigation concentrate on
the role of the government, its police agencies and the armed forces, along the
lines first proposed by the panel of international forensic experts in 2016.
In November 2014, the government of Mexico and the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights established the Interdisciplinary Group of
Independent Experts known by its Spanish acronym as GIEI, to follow up on the
investigation. Its final report in April 2016 concluded that forensic evidence
did not support the claim that all the bodies had been incinerated at the said
location. It also questioned the procedures that had been followed by the PRG.
At last week’s press conference, Blanca Nava, one of the mothers,
said, “Now is a good opportunity for the return of the Interdisciplinary Group
of Independent Experts [of the CIDH]. That is what we want. They were the first
to raise the contradictions and propose how to carry out the investigation,
which was never done.”
Following up on the CIDH investigation, on March 15 of this year
the United Nations office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a
65-page report entitled “Double Injustice – Human
rights violations in the investigation of the Ayotzinapa case” that chronicles and analyzes the human
rights violations that took place between the date of the kidnappings and
January 2016. This latest report expands on the suspicions first raised by the
Group of Independent Experts.
According to the UN investigation, out of 129 individuals arrested
by the PRG and the military following the kidnappings, there is strong evidence
that 51 were tortured physically and psychologically, and that at least one of
them, Emmanuel Alejandro Blas Patiñi, had been tortured to death in October
2014. The UN followed up on 34 of these tortured detainees.
The UN investigation describes “an almost uniform modus operandi”
of illegal arrests, detentions outside the protection of the law and torture,
together with “implausible and self-contradictory justifications” to explain
away the injuries caused by the brutal treatment.
On the basis of those “voluntary confessions,” Attorney General
Jesús Murillo Karam”, declared on January 27 2015 that the case had been
solved. On that occasion Murillo made use of the unhappy phrase, “historical
truth”, that now haunts the Mexican government.
Under this version, the municipal police of Iguala, and Colula, in
Guerrero state, under instructions from Iguala mayor José Luis Abarca, had
attacked the students, who were traveling by bus; police killed six, wounded 25
and handed 43 students to a criminal gang, Guerreros Unidos, who killed them, burned their
bodies at a rubbish dump, and then discarded their remains in the nearby San
Juan River. Abarca, a member of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD),
which today rules in alliance with the Peña Nieto administration and the ruling
PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party), is said to have acted in alliance with
the drug cartel.
The PRG under Murillo insisted that this crime was driven by drug
trafficking, diverting public attention from the fact that the Ayotzinapa
teaching college is a center of opposition to the government’s education
reform. While some of the students were headed to a teaching assignment, others
were on their way to commemorate in Mexico City the anniversary of the
Tlatlelolco Massacre of October 2, 1968, in which hundreds of students were
gunned down by Mexican troops. The unraveling of events since September 2014
now strongly suggests that what took place in Ayotzinapa was a politically
motivated state crime.
In the lead-up to the July 1 national elections, the decision by
the court in Tamaulipas is sure to add to the explosive political and social
tensions roiling Mexico.
Up until now, on the campaign trail and in two national debates,
the presidential candidates have managed to deliberately ignore the assault on
the Ayotzinapa case. The so-called populist candidate, Andrés Manuel Lopez
Obrador, in a campaign appearance in New York City when questioned a year ago
about this case, refused to answer and instead denounced his questioner,
Antonio Tizapa, as a “provocateur. ” Tizapa’s son Jorge Antonio Tizapa
Legideño, is one of the disappeared students. ADN Político (Political DNA), a Mexico City
online news journal, interviewed parents of the disappeared who expressed their
anger and disappointment that the presidential candidates have sidestepped the
Ayotzinapa case.
“For us it is hard that there have been no declarations; one no
longer trusts them [the presidential candidates],” declared Bernabé Abraján, a
parent of the disappeared student Adán Abraján de la Cruz.
“[The candidates] have shown us that they are are not interested
in the Ayotzinapa case. They have not said anything,” declared Hilda Legideño
mother of José Antonio Tizapa Legideño. “Forty three months have passed and on
their part there is only negativity. They know perfectly well what happened,
and those who are guilty; but have no desire to investigate. The government is
involved in the disappearance of our children. Knowing about the fate of our
children is our main struggle. We want nothing else; they have offered us
material wealth, but we are not interested,” added Legideño.
Reacting to the Tamaulipas court order, the Lopez Obrador campaign
offered to create not just one truth commission, but many. No further
elaboration was provided.
This Tuesday, the last presidential debate is scheduled to take
place between the presidential candidates. Different from the previous two
debates, in this debate there will be questions from the general public, culled
from the thousands of questions that the debate’s organizers solicited and
received from across Mexico.
Undoubtedly some will have to do with the Ayotzinapa case;
furthermore, last week’s court decision in Tamaulipas will make it nearly
impossible for the candidates or the media to continue ignoring the kidnapping,
disappearance and probable murder of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa
teachers college, three years and eight months ago.
Mexican politician is shot dead point blank in the back of the head while taking a selfie with a fan - making him the 112th politician to be murdered in the country since SEPTEMBER
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday
- While taking selfies with constituents, a bearded man came up behind Purón and shot him in the head
- The 43-year-old political candidate had been known for his work fighting against the Los Zetas cartel
- Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year
- More than 1,000 candidates have dropped out of the July 1 local elections out of fear of being murdered by gangs
View com
mentA Mexican politician active in the dismantling of organized crime was shot dead while he posed for selfies with constituents.
Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday when he was gunned down.
The shocking murder of Purón, captured on CCTV, shows a bearded man wearing a cap walking behind the 43-year-old and shooting him in the back of the head.
Purón died on his way to the hospital.
The political candidate had been known for his work fighting against the Los Zetas cartel.
Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday where he was later murdered
During his debate in Piedras Negras, the father of one talked about his work fighting the gang while mayor from 2014 to 2017.
'We closed the businesses of organized crime and demolished the houses belonging to the Zetas,' Purón, said, according to the Austin American-Statesman. 'We took back the city from the Zetas, and we returned it, pacified, to the citizens.'
The Zeta cartel has lost some of its power since the arrest of leader Miguel Treviño Morales, known as Z-40, in 201
Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year, according to risk analysis consultant group - Etellekt.
Purón (circled) could be seen taking photos with constituents in Piedras Negras
The shocking murder of Purón, captured on CCTV, shows a bearded man wearing a cap walking behind the 43-year-old and shooting him in the back of the head
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday
- While taking selfies with constituents, a bearded man came up behind Purón and shot him in the head
- The 43-year-old political candidate had been known for his work fighting against the Los Zetas cartel
- Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year
- More than 1,000 candidates have dropped out of the July 1 local elections out of fear of being murdered by gangs
View com
mentA Mexican politician active in the dismantling of organized crime was shot dead while he posed for selfies with constituents.
Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday when he was gunned down.
The shocking murder of Purón, captured on CCTV, shows a bearded man wearing a cap walking behind the 43-year-old and shooting him in the back of the head.
Purón died on his way to the hospital.
The political candidate had been known for his work fighting against the Los Zetas cartel.
Fernando Purón, former mayor of Piedras Negras, had been participating in a congressional debate on Friday where he was later murdered
During his debate in Piedras Negras, the father of one talked about his work fighting the gang while mayor from 2014 to 2017.
'We closed the businesses of organized crime and demolished the houses belonging to the Zetas,' Purón, said, according to the Austin American-Statesman. 'We took back the city from the Zetas, and we returned it, pacified, to the citizens.'
The Zeta cartel has lost some of its power since the arrest of leader Miguel Treviño Morales, known as Z-40, in 201
Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year, according to risk analysis consultant group - Etellekt.
Purón (circled) could be seen taking photos with constituents in Piedras Negras
The shocking murder of Purón, captured on CCTV, shows a bearded man wearing a cap walking behind the 43-year-old and shooting him in the back of the head
More than 1,000 candidates have dropped out of the July 1 local elections out of fear of being murdered by gangs.
During the campaign season, nearly 10 percent of the country - 222 municipalities - have had candidates or current officeholders that have been killed, assaulted or threatened.
Purón - part of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party - had had his life threatened numerous times while mayor.
In 2016, a warning was posted in a cemetery saying: 'Purón, in two years we are going to cut off your head.'
Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year
On Sunday, his wife remembered her
husband as someone whose 'hand did not
tremble' when it came to standing up to
organized crime.
'He was ready for battle until the last moment,' Cynthia Villarreal said. 'He was the bravest man on the face of the earth.'
On Monday, the attorney general for Coahuila said authorities have found two men they believe are associated with the murder or may know a suspect.
More than 1,000 candidates have dropped out of the July 1 local elections out of fear of being murdered by gangs.
During the campaign season, nearly 10 percent of the country - 222 municipalities - have had candidates or current officeholders that have been killed, assaulted or threatened.
Purón - part of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party - had had his life threatened numerous times while mayor.
In 2016, a warning was posted in a cemetery saying: 'Purón, in two years we are going to cut off your head.'
Purón's death makes him as the 112th political candidate to be murdered in Mexico since September of last year
On Sunday, his wife remembered her
husband as someone whose 'hand did not
tremble' when it came to standing up to
organized crime.
'He was ready for battle until the last moment,' Cynthia Villarreal said. 'He was the bravest man on the face of the earth.'
On Monday, the attorney general for Coahuila said authorities have found two men they believe are associated with the murder or may know a suspect.
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