The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, arrived in Mexico City yesterday after a brief visit to Costa Rica. e Mrs Robinson received documents from 57 human rights organisations, denouncing systematic and severe abuses, including torture and assassination. She thanked the Mexican government for its full co-operation in organising the visit, while national media speculated on efforts to minimise its impact.
Mexico's progressive daily La Jornada published details of an internal document, drawn up by the Ministry of Interior, Defence and Foreign Affairs, which aimed to counteract the disinformation and pessimism which tends to accompany media attention on alleged human rights abuses. The document suggested that a foreign ministry official accompany Mrs Robinson at every press interview, to get across the government viewpoint when necessary.
The government also plans to broadcast a series of TV ads, outlining efforts to restart dialogue in Chiapas state, where Mrs Robinson will spend two days later this week. The government-controlled National Commission for Human Rights was invited to participate in the government strategy by presenting Mrs Robinson with reports on its investigations into rights abuses, contradicting the findings of independent human rights groups.
Ms Digna Ochoa, a lawyer working with the Miguel Agustin Pro-Human Rights group, welcomed Mrs Robinson. Ms Ochoa was kidnapped by a group of men last September, warned to abandon her work, then released unharmed. Mexico's Attorney General and former president of the National Commission for Human Rights, Mr Jorge Madrazo, denied any involvement by his office.
Mexico's centre-left Party of the Democratic Revolution has handed Mrs Robinson a file on the killing of 644 party activists in the past 10 years, while migrant defence groups have chronicled 444 deaths of people crossing the border at Tijuana, Mrs Robinson's first stop-off tomorrow.