“Historical truth” in danger

After October 2nd, 1968, there is no more emblematic case that social sectors have made theirs to protest against the abuse of power and impunity, than the disappearance of 43 students from the Normal Rural School of Ayotzinapa, Mexico, in September 2014.

The first few days after the episode, the erratic investigation that the municipal and state authorities made led to the record being turned to the federal scope. The governor had to leave the charge, the municipal mayor became a fugitive for several months and now he is in prison.

The conclusions presented weeks later by the Attorney General´s Office (PGR) did not convince some parents of the victims who argued that there were loose ends. In the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts, created at the suggestion of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, there were also indications of mistakes in the investigation.

EL UNIVERSAL reports today that the explanation of what happened that day - the so-called "historical truth" - is at risk of falling apart because a report from the PGR's General Office concluded that the investigation was plagued by illegalities. The visitation is the area of supervision of the elements of the dependency to reduce cases of corruption and also receives complaints from the citizens against PGR's functionaries.

The document is not recognized by the agency, it has been filed. However, there are voices from the federal governments that warn that the investigation for the Ayotzinapa case may be challenged in international courts and the detainees could be released for the possible violation of the law. In accordance with the results of that report, there were torture of witnesses and accused, illegal proceedings were carried out and there is a contradiction in the actions of the public ministries.

It would be regrettable that, due to probable failures in the process, the advanced path in the investigations is deflected, but the times of the application of justice must be different in our country. Any accusation or apprehension must be based on evidence and not statements obtained by means of not-so-scientific methods.

A few years ago the arrest of the French citizen, Florence Cassez, as well as her subsequent release, after the Supreme Court determined that there were anomalies in her detention, had a high cost in the credibility of the delivery of justice.

Finding irregularities in a case so significant to the Mexican society seems to send the message that efforts to make this a country dominated by the correct application of the law - and to leave aside its whimsical application - are unsuccessful. Haven't they learned the lesson?

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