Two years ago today, Bety Cariño, the indigenous human rights defender, and Tyri Jaakkola, an international observer from Finland, were murdered in a violent paramilitary attack. They were participating in a humanitarian convoy to bring food and medicine to the indigenous autonomous municipality of San Juan Copola, surrounded by paramilitary groups.

MEP Jürgen Klute, member of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, said: "In the European Parliament we do not understand the reasons why this case and other murders like that of Digna Ochoa continue to go unpunished today". 

"Mexico is currently implementing a new criminal justice system, and the recent approval of laws aiming to change this situation is a positive sign. We hope that the government will fully use and support these new tools in order to make the change effective, and bring those responsible for this and other crimes to justice. The case of Bety and Tyri is an emblematic one in Mexico, and well known by the international community. By solving this case, the government would give a strong signal showing that things are changing in Mexico, and would be a start to break the chain of impunity which currently flirts with a 98% rate," he continued.

MEP Klute will address a letter to the Mexican authorities on his concerns about impunity in Mexico.

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20   

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu  

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu