THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT DISAGREES WITH THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE THE BORDER PATROL AGENT WHO SHOT A MEXICAN TEEN 

The Foreign Ministry, on behalf of the Mexican government, deeply regrets and strongly rejects the decision of the U.S. Department of Justice not to prosecute the Border Patrol agent who shot and killed Mexican teenager Sergio Adrián Hernández Güereca on the Ciudad Juarez border on June 7, 2010.

In light of this decision, the Mexican government today presented an additional diplomatic note of protest to the United States government, underscoring its concern that the case will not be prosecuted.

Mexico will closely analyze the terms of the decision to determine which additional measures to pursue at the bilateral and international levels. The Mexican government will use all international diplomatic and legal means at its disposal.

The Foreign Ministry also reports that, on January 2011, Mexico presented a provisional arrest request for extradition purposes against the Border Patrol agent, which was denied today by the U.S. based on the decision of the Department of Justice to not file criminal charges.

Today's decision does not mean that the case against the Border Patrol agent is over in the Mexican courts, nor that the civil actions taken by the victims' relatives in the US courts, with Mexican legal and consular assistance, cannot proceed.

The Mexican government reiterates that only joint and coordinated efforts on both sides of our common border will provide better security and enhanced well-being to border communities, with full respect of the human rights of all, in both nations. That is why both Mexico and the US adopted the Joint Declaration on the Prevention of Violence in the Border Region, as well as the Bilateral Protocols on Border Violence, in order to prevent and respond to future incidents.

The Mexican government will redouble its efforts to continue implementing those bilateral initiatives and reiterates its appeal to the United States government to do the same.