Mexico: Open letter to the Governor-elect of the State of Quintana Roo
September 23, 2022
Index Number: AMR 41/6054/2022
Amnesty International, Comité de Víctimas 9N and Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos call the Governor-elect of the State of Quintana Roo to guarantee the right to a comprehensive reparation for the victims and survivors of police repression in Cancun on 9 November 2020.
As you know, on 9 November 2020, members of the municipal police of Benito Juarez
(Cancún), in the State of Quintana Roo severely repressed a feminist demonstration.
Protesters were mainly young women, who have come together to demand justice for the
feminicide of a woman known as “Alexis.” According to information documented by Amnesty
International, members of the police fired live ammunition at protesters. The organization
also documented the arbitrary detention of protesters and the use of torture, including sexual
torture, which constituted a violation of their human rights.
On 20 November 2020, the Quintana Roo Human Rights Commission determined that the
rights of protesters had, indeed, been violated and comprehensive reparations should be
provided. Authorities facilitated access to some rehabilitation and satisfaction measures,
including psychosocial treatment and the construction of a memory plate. Yet, these were
insufficient to ensure adequate redress of the harm inflicted. Worryingly, victims and
survivors were not consulted for the design and implementation of measures. As such, the
measures failed to meet international standards.
Against this backdrop, Amnesty International undertook a global campaign to ensure justice,
truth and reparations for those who suffered police repression in Cancun. Over 340,000
people from all around the globe signed a petition calling the Prosecutor of the State of
Quintana Roo to guarantee justice for Wendy Galarza, one of the survivors. Meanwhile, at
the local level, the Mexican NGO Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los
Derechos Humanos took the legal representation of the case, while victims and survivors
came together in a group known as “Comité de Víctimas del 9N” to demand their rights
through inspiring peaceful actions.
All of this translated into positive progress in securing access to rights. However, there was
a major setback. The current governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, had
committed to providing access to comprehensive reparations measures during working
meetings throughout 2022. Yet, inexplicably, in July 2022, he took back on this commitment. This left victims and survivors feeling unheard. Almost two years after the
events, state authorities had failed to fulfill, respect and protect their rights.
More:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr41/6054/2022/en/