Publisher's Synopsis
Mexican President Felipe Calderón has relied heavily on the armed forces to fight drug-related violence and organized crime. The need to improve public security is clear. Mexico is facing violent turf battles among powerful drug cartels, an influx of sophisticated weapons, and a large number of kidnappings and executions in several states. While engaging in law enforcement activities, Mexico's armed forces have committed serious human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, killings, torture, rapes, and arbitrary detentions. Such horrific crimes destroy public trust, undermining rather than furthering efforts to curb drug-related violence and improve public security. An important reason such abuses continue is that, in practice, Mexico allows military officers involved in law enforcement activities to commit human rights violations with impunity. It tolerates the military investigating itself through a system that lacks ba