THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATES IN THE 144TH SESSION OF THE INTERAMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Mexican government took part in three public hearings before the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) today during its 144th regular session to discuss the human rights situation in Mexico.

The first hearing was on the rights of persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities. The Mexican delegation recognized the complexity of this problem and its challenges, mainly due to society’s lack of awareness of the problem. The delegation reported on the public policies that have been implemented during the current administration to improve the inclusion and integral development of persons with disabilities and the transition from a welfare-medical paradigm to a human rights approach. 

The Mexican government explained its efforts to modify the legal and institutional framework to meet international standards, including those contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was promoted by Mexico. It also explained measures such as the increase in the budget for mental health care, which has tripled in recent years; the opening of 544 outpatient centers for mental health and addictions; the inclusion of the main mental illnesses in the Universal Catalogue of Health Services to ensure their timely and correct care through the Seguro Popular (People’s Insurance), among others. 

In a spirit of openness and cooperation, the Mexican government reaffirmed its commitment to continue strengthening its dialogue and cooperation with civil society organizations to encourage joint initiatives, an interest shared by both parties.

The second hearing was on the situation of persons deprived of liberty in Mexico. The Mexican delegation discussed the progress made since the constitutional reform in criminal justice and public safety to modernize the prison system. This reform changed the traditional approach from rehabilitation to reintegration programs.

The Mexican government said that, given the difficulties caused by the overlapping federal and state jurisdictions in this area, this administration has tried to coordinate the prison system at the national level. In 2009, a National Conference on the Prison System was created to help strengthen the state prison systems. 

The federal government has made significant investments in prison infrastructure to address the problem of prison overcrowding and to professionalize the prison staff and train them in human rights through the National Academy for Prisons Administration that was also created in 2009. The federal government increased the budget of the federal prison system from 1.1 billion pesos in 2006 to more than 10.8 billion pesos in 2011 to have sufficient resources for its operation and expansion. 

In addition, the Public Safety Fund (FASP) for the prison system was increased from approximately 382 million pesos in 2010 to over 1.15 billion in 2012. This has improved prison conditions, lessened the violence and corruption within them and, above all, had a positive impact on the dignity of persons deprived of liberty and helped with their social reintegration. In response to the concerns of the IACHR, Mexico agreed to continue the investigations into the incidents that have occurred in some of the prisons. 

Lastly, the Mexican government participated in a hearing on missing migrants and the identification of their remains if necessary. It explained in detail, from a technical standpoint, the forensic procedures used for identifying human remains and the way in which they have been improved. Some of the results in specific cases such as the San Fernando case were discussed. After the events in San Fernando, Tamaulipas on August 2010, most of the victims have been identified. Where identification has not been possible has been due to the lack of data from other countries with which to compare the records of the victims. 

The Mexican delegation also reported on the recent steps taken to improve procedures related to the problem of missing persons, including the creation of the federal Office of the Special Prosecutor for Crime Victims (Provictima) to coordinate support for the families of missing persons; the creation of a missing persons database that incorporates information that already exists on various platforms, including genetic and biometric information; and approval of a National Missing Persons Registry to coordinate federal and state efforts to locate missing persons and those in care or detention facilities or shelters.

The Mexican government reaffirmed its commitment to maintain a dialogue with social organizations to explore methods of regional intergovernmental cooperation, taking into account the recommendations of the international human rights organizations.

The Mexican delegation was headed by the Interior Ministry’s Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Max Diener Sala. He was accompanied by the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the Organization of American States, Ambassador Joel Hernández García; the Foreign Ministry’s Director General of Human Rights and Democracy, Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Muñoz; and officials from the Ministries of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Public Safety, Health, and the Attorney General's Office. 

By participating in these hearings, the Mexican government reiterates its full commitment to improving human rights at the national level, strengthening its dialogue with civil society organizations and cooperating with the OAS Interamerican Commission on Human Rights.