AMLO proposes Amnesty Law
MEXICO CITY -- Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador has sent to his majority legislators in the Chamber of Deputies an initiative to issue a law that allows granting amnesty to people who have committed certain types of crimes and for those who can be considered political prisoners anywhere in the Republic.
The parliamentary coordinator of Morena, Mario Delgado, announced that the document received has the fundamental purpose of freeing prisoners who are in jail for specific reasons that would be described in that legislation. This would be the case of young people imprisoned for drug use or for having participated in drug trafficking activities or women who were subjected to prison for having an abortion.
The Amnesty Law, explained the Morenist leader, would not apply to crimes such as homicide, kidnapping, crimes committed with firearms, repeat offenders and, in general, those that have committed serious crimes contemplated in article 19 of the Constitution. The initiative only contemplates the possibility of freeing people who have committed minor crimes.
If approved, a Commission would be integrated from the Executive department to monitor and monitor compliance with the new regulatory framework and, from which, its application may be requested for cases that are in the cases described by said legislation.
Mario Delgado recalled that in some parts of the Republic, there is a tradition of pardoning prisoners for different reasons. Cases in which the damage caused is considered minor, when the inmate has had good behavior or in controversial cases where guilt has not been fully demonstrated.
Delgado recalled that on September 16, 1810, prior to the Grito de Independencia, Miguel Hidalgo freed political prisoners from prison, under prison for the viceregal regime and townspeople who, for various reasons, were held in prison.
He also clarified that the pardon and amnesty are different, but they share the goal of granting freedom and offering the opportunity for social reintegration.
"The amnesty, moreover, is backed by the popular will represented in Congress," he said.
“Therefore, in the framework of the 209 anniversary of the Scream of Independence, the President presents the Amnesty Law, as a concrete expression of the commitment to alleviate the injustices suffered by the people of Mexico, such as the lack of real conditions of access to justice prompt and expeditious intimately related to poverty, marginalization and the scourge of corruption.”
The morenista coordinator explained that the proposal will benefit young people related to crimes against health, either because they are consumers accused of drug trafficking or because they were forced to participate in illegal acts in the face of their poverty situation or under threats arising from the phenomenon of unleashed violence under the past government regime.
It will also include those sentenced for simple theft without violence.
Mario Delgado said he will benefit women criminalized for having an abortion and the doctors or midwives who participated; to indigenous people who had no chance of adequate defense, and political prisoners or of conscience, accused of unlikely crimes.
“There are several common elements or distinctive signs in many of the prisoners, such as low schooling or even illiteracy, and in many cases their belonging to an indigenous community or people,” he said. “Also, different analyses show a relationship between poverty and injustice, between marginalization and denial of justice.” (aristeguinoticias)