Mexico & Nafta - 19 August 2003

The state investigator from the Distrito Federal (DF) has reasserted that Digna Ochoa, a noted human rights lawyer and activist, committed suicide in October 2001. The DF procurador, Bernardo Bátiz, said that Margarita Guerra, the special investigator, based her conclusions on nothing but the evidence. Essentially, Guerra endorsed the original investigation by Oscar Lozano, which found that Digna had shot herself with her own pistol in her own flat on 19 October 2001. A second review of the evidence in January 2002 also concluded that Digna had committed suicide. 

The re-iteration has outraged leftwingers and human rights activists. They particularly object to the way that hints were dropped to the media that Guerra could find no evidence to support the thesis that Ochoa was murdered. This was the original and general assumption following news of her death in 2001. Guerra's decision will mean that the investigation into Ochoa's death will halt. Her family can, however, challenge this decision in the courts. 

Ochoa, apparently, died in her home in October 2001. She was shot in the head. She was 37, and had been a nun. A note was found next to her body claimed that others would suffer the same fate if they persisted in persecuting 'us'. The 'us' is presumed to be perpetrators of human rights abuses. 

All the investigators point out that there is no trace of anybody else having been in the apartment when Digna died.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 238 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

• Subscribe
• Sign up for a one-time, 14-day trial