Over the last decade, the human rights situation in Mexico has dramatically worsened. Extrajudicial executions, torture, and enforced disappearances are just some of the serious crimes committed by state agents with impunity. Atrocious crimes are perpetrated by organized criminal groups, which have resulted in limited access to certain areas of the country due to the high levels of violence. The lack of effective response by the authorities in charge of investigating and punishing these acts is evident, creating a climate of helplessness and impunity.
Mexico is a priority country for DPLF. Our activities are directed towards the promotion of an independent judiciary that is able to investigate and punish common crimes as well as those that involve state actors or organized crime. In particular, we are interested in improving the abilities of judicial institutions so that they may conduct effective criminal investigations and help combat existing impunity. With the objective of fostering a more independent judiciary, we promote better systems for selecting judges, especially those pertaining to high courts. Likewise, in collaboration with local actors, we promote a greater use of international law in the resolution of conflicts caused by the extraction of natural resources or the construction of large infrastructure projects.
The pillars of our work are rooted in the investigation and analysis of concrete problems using the framework of international law, as well as learning from comparative experiences. We conduct our activities in partnership with local actors, reflecting and searching for solutions together.
