Despite Grave Human Rights Abuses in Mexico, US State Department Aid Keeps Flowing Laura Weiss - The Huffington Post
go to original July 23, 2015

The United States State Department recently released their 2014 Human Rights Report, which documents international human rights conditions to help inform decision-making for foreign aid allocations. The latest report describes grave human rights conditions in Mexico, including abuses committed by government agents, use of torture, poorly investigated disappearances, and widespread impunity.

Under the Mérida Initiative, the United States can withhold 15% of its aid to Mexico that falls under its anti-narcotics (INCLE) and foreign military (FMF) programs if the Secretary of State reports that specific human rights conditions are not being met. The State Department's own report shows that they are not.

Eight human rights groups, including Amnesty International and the Washington Office on Latin America, recently published a memo that explored in greater detail the state of the unfulfilled human rights conditions in Mexico. The document calls for the U.S. Congress to hold up the conditioned aid over the corruption and ongoing human rights abuses rampant within state forces.

The State Department Human Rights Report itself shows how it has overlooked its own funding restrictions.

Check out a summary of the conditions that the State Department must report are being met before a portion of its foreign aid can be allocated to Mexico at The Huffington Post.

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