UN: Mexico Violating Human Rights of Migrants

Written by Cyril Mychalejko

Tuesday, 25 March 2008

Dr. Jorge Bustamante Central American migrants traveling through Mexico to the United States are facing violence and abuse by Mexican authorities, a UN official stated on March 15. Jorge Bustamante, the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, said that there are "reports of rampant impunity for instances of corruption, including bribery and extortion, violence against women, and trafficking in children…[and] that the impunity seems to be linked to abuses of power at the municipal, state and federal levels." Bustamante's statement concluded a seven day fact-finding mission to Mexico, where he met with Government authorities and the country's Senate in Mexico City, Tijuana and Tapachula. Corrupt Mexican police kidnapping undocumented Central American migrants for ransom is on the rise and could eclipse the lucrative business of working with drug smugglers. "They kidnap migrants, ask them for information, relatives' phone numbers; then they extort money from the families," said Bustamante Bustamante also noted that there were a number of reports concerning "rape, assault and abuses against workers in the domestic sphere." His visit to Mexico followed the publication of a scathing report aimed at the United States for violating the human rights of a largely Mexican migrant population. He will submit a similar report to the Human Rights Council concerning his visit to Mexico.