Activists Want Trudeau to Push Mexican President on His Human Rights Record Mike Blanchfield - The Canadian Press
go to original June 23, 2016

Activists from Mexico want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to press Mexican President Enrique Pena Tuesday on his human rights record when he visits Ottawa next week. (Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press)

A group of female human rights activists from Mexico is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to show his true feminist credentials and challenge their country's president on its human rights record.

Trudeau will host Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto during a state visit next week before the North American leaders' summit that will also include U.S. President Barack Obama.

The so-called three amigos will focus on strengthening continental economic co-operation and will likely issue a statement that reinforces their shared commitment to fight climate change.

But four formidable Mexican women — all members of the Nobel Women's Initiative — are calling on Trudeau to push Pena Nieto publicly on the carnage and violence that has gripped Mexico since the start of its war on drug cartels a decade ago, especially its effect on women.

The internationally recognized activists, representing torture victims, missing people and other victims of abuse by their country's security services, were in Ottawa this week for talks with the government with the assistance of Amnesty International.

In a letter to Trudeau, Amnesty asks him to place human rights issues at the forefront of his discussion with his Mexican counterpart, citing the disappearances of 27,000 Mexicans since the country embarked on its bloody war against drug cartels in 2006.

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