Mexico investigates army personnel seen on video appearing to beat and kill suspected cartel members

[Judi Lynn]

Hira Humayun
By Alfredo Meza, Florencia Trucco, Fidel Gutierrez, Hira Humayun and Sahar Akbarzai, CNN
Published 10:20 PM EDT, Wed June 7, 2023

An investigation has been launched into what Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has described as an “execution,” after a video circulating on local media appeared to show Mexican army personnel dragging men in civilian clothing out of a car, beating them, and then engaging in a shootout.

“Apparently, there was an execution, which cannot be allowed. We are not the same as the previous governments. So, when there is abuse, when there is an excess, when human rights are violated, those responsible must be punished. And the process to deepen the investigation has already begun,” Lopez Obrador said during a press conference on Wednesday.

He added, “there is no cover-up because we do not tolerate the violation of human rights.”

CNNE obtained 32 minutes of footage from the video, of which 20 minutes are unedited. CNN has not been able to verify the source of the material independently.

The footage shows a black car speeding off the road onto an unpaved area, then crashing into a fence. Less than a minute later, a Mexican Army vehicle is seen pulling up to the crashed vehicle.

Men in military clothing are then seen opening the vehicle’s doors, dragging people out, pushing them to the ground, and kicking and hitting them. They are also seen removing items from the vehicle, including what appears to be a gun.

More:
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/07/americas/mexico-investigate-army-video-intl-latam/index.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. L.A.Times:Soldiers apparently executed five men, will face prosecution, says Mexican president

ASSOCIATED PRESS
JUNE 7, 2023 4:39 PM PT

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s president described the slayings of five men caught on security camera footage as an apparent “execution” by soldiers, and vowed Wednesday that the perpetrators would face justice.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is a staunch supporter of the armed forces who has insisted that under his administration they have shed any previous tendency toward human rights abuses. He said Wednesday that the slayings in a northern border city last month were impermissible and that soldiers involved were being turned over for prosecution.

Video from a store security camera that was published this week showed a black pickup truck crashing full speed into a wall in Nuevo Laredo. A military truck apparently pursuing it arrived shortly thereafter and ran into the passenger side of the pickup.

The occupants of the truck were dragged out, kicked and forced up against a wall. They were later found dead.

More:
https://archive.ph/aZtqw#selection-1491.0-1530.0