Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Tuesday strongly rejected criticism of his government’s human rights record, calling reports of official abuses in a new US State Department study “lies.”
The document released on Monday indicates that there were credible reports in Mexico of unlawful or arbitrary homicides by police, military and other officials; forced disappearance by agents of the State; as well as torture and inhuman treatment by the security forces.
It also states that “impunity and extremely low prosecution rates remain a problem for all crimes, including human rights abuses and corruption”, and criticizes violence against journalists in the Latin American nation.
When asked about the report at a press conference, López Obrador dismissed it. “They are lying,” he affirmed, and opined that in the United States “they assume themselves as the government of the world.”
“It’s not to get angry, it’s just that they are,” said the president, who will meet with former US Secretary of State John Kerry later Tuesday in southern Mexico. “Just saying that it is not true (the study), that they are liars,” he added.
The leftist ruler has rejected recent US criticism of his security record, which has come under increased scrutiny since the kidnapping of four US citizens in northern Mexico earlier this month. Later, two of them were found dead.
López Obrador, who says he is eradicating corruption and impunity in his country, argued that his country is safer than the United States, despite having a higher murder rateand criticized the neighboring nation’s efforts to prevent dangerous drugs from entering its territory.
The US rejects López Obrador’s expressions
When questioned about the words of the Mexican president, Vedant Patel, deputy spokesman for the US State Department, assured: “we have never been one of those who indicate that we are the government of the world.”
“This is a report that we have released periodically on an annual basis and it is about recognizing and promoting human rights and the foundations of freedom, justice and world peace,” Patel said, noting the report is mandated by Congress.
Patel added that the alleged involvement of members of the Mexican military police and other government institutions in serious acts of corruption and unlawful arbitrary executions remains “a serious challenge” for Mexico. “That’s why they stood out in our report,” he concluded.
[Con la colaboración de Salomé Ramírez Vargas, periodista de VOA, desde Washington. Parte del reporte procede de Reuters]
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