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| Self-named "anarchists" confront police on Oct. 2 in Mexico City |
Milenio: Notimex [state news agency]
The president of the National Commission of Human Rights, Raúl Plascencia Villanueva, spoke in favor of the Congress promoting a general law regulating the marches in the country.
"I think it would be very important that it be a general law, a model to be followed by all states, even Mexico City," he said.
"This would be so that the police have have clear, precise objectives on which to act at thetime, and with legal backing." he said at a hearing in the Senate.In turn, the Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District, Jesus Rodriguez Almeida, called for a thorough discussion of this issue and ruled out the possibility that the Zocalo [central plaza] can be taken again by the dissent teachers.
"What we want is to have a discussion, a thorough analysis by various people who know the subject, so that in the end we can apply the law that is in effect," he said.In turn, the president of the leadership committee of the Senate, Raul Cervantes Andrade, said that from his point of view, the issue of marches is a state matter.
"There are many local issues that have become federal ones. A very good example is that we have federal laws made as amendments to Article 73 of the Constitution for many matters. I don't not know the specific content of the current initiative and what is its reach," said the Senator from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).Jorge Davila Flores, president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (CONCANACO), asked that the senators regulate the marches. He said legislation on this issue should not be delayed, and he demanded protocols governing the use of force if such acts threaten social stability.
He also called for raising the penalties for committing violent acts in demonstrations, blockades, rallies and protests, which are to the detriment of citizens, historical monuments, buildings, businesses or public or private property. He stressed that violence not only harms the economy of businesses, but also damages the image of the country, as it scares away domestic and foreign tourism.
The leader urged senators to take into account international experience in legislating the regulation of demonstrations, as in countries such as Italy, Spain and Germany.
"It needs to guarantee spaces and proper channels for expressing objections, festivals or massive expressions of any kind, always within the strict framework of the law and respecting the rights of others," he added.Spanish original