MEXICO
CONFIDENTIAL
Report by HM Embassy, Mexico City
General Observations
1. Mexico has an excellent record in human rights not only as compared with other governments in the region but in absolute terms. Individual rights are formally assured in considerable detail in the Constitution, and great importance is attached to these by the Federal Government backed by the Judiciary. Prac- tice is not always the same as precept, and particularly at the local level, the police and other authorities can sometimes re- act harshly or deal high-handedly with citizens' rights on occasion. But such excesses do not reflect official policy, and would be repudiated by the Federal administration. Mexico re- mains a country which continues to strive towards an essentially democratic way of life, with the individual and groups having protection under the law.
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The Constitution of 1917 and the laws developed from it provide the individual with extensive protec- tion against arbitrary acts by the authorities, notably in the writ known as "amparo". This is widely respected in practice but the pro- cess of law can be very lengthy and a person without influence or money can be in prison for months before his case is settled.
Torture is formally prohibited and is in no way part of official poli- cy. But unofficially the security authorities do sometimes "rough up" suspects of whose connection with crimes of violence they are con- vinced.
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Slavery was abolished in 1837 and does not exist.
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Such formal restrictions on freedom of speech as exist are related to the needs of morality, public order and rights of others. In practice, the press and media generally are uncritical. The Federal administra- tion is tolerant within limits which have rarely been breached by its critics.
CONFIDENTIAL
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