Indigenous and Latina Women & Children's Human
Rights News from the Americas
Sobre Doctora Laura Bozzo
This section last Updated October 5, 2005
About Dr. Laura Bozzo of Peru
Latin
America's leading women and children's human rights activist,
attorney Dr. Laura Bozzo has recently ended 3 years under house
arrest in Peru. Dr. Bozzo's show "Laura in the Americas" is
seen daily by tens of millions of viewers across the globe.
Laura en America
is effectively the TV version of our web site, and we at
LibertadLatina
find in Laura
encouragement to persist in the struggle to defend women and
children from sexual and physical abuse and rape with impunity.
Born in Lima, Peru of
Italian Parents, Dr. Laura Bozzo began her professional
career by studying law in Lima. She received a
doctorate in Law, as well as a doctorate in political
science. Over a period of many years, she was a
professor of constitutional law, the theory of the state,
criminal law and evolution of political ideas in diverse
universities in Lima.
When named as director of the
National Institute of Culture, Laura organized contests to
promote the defense-of and conservation-of her country's
cultural heritage and edited a series of articles regarding
cultural legislation.
In 1993 she was elected
councilwoman of the municipality of metropolitan Lima
[Peru's capital city]. Laura directed social services
programs such as "A Glass of Milk" and "Community
Cafeterias" where she identified herself as an advocate for
her country's poor women.
As a councilwoman she was
invited to participate in a television program on Channel
11, which was then owned by the mayor of Lima. The
mayor proposed that Laura host a nighttime talk show.
Dr. Bozzo later managed a show on culture at the same
station.
In 1996, Genaro Delgado
Parker proposed that Dr. Bozzo conduct a 'reality show' in
Panamericana Television, where she hosted the show
'Intimacies,' which went on the air in March, 1997.
During the first months on the air, the show earned
significant ratings, earning a Midday slot.
After her first season, Laura
received a proposal from José Francisco Crousillat, owner of
América Televisión, to host LAURA EN AMÉRICA. From the
first episode of this show broadcast in 1998 until today,
her show has earned first place in the ratings. One
survey has determined that 5 of every 6 televisions in Peru
tune in to Laura en America.
In 1999 LAURA EN AMÉRICA
began being broadcast to Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile
and Ecuador. Laura enjoys great credibility and is
considered to be the primary defender of women's rights in
Peru. She received hundreds of letter from admirers
who seek her advise and assistance, as well giving thanks
for her efforts and her empathy.
As part of her social work, Laura founded the Family
Solidarity Association in 1998. This foundation was
established not only to assist persons who's cases have
appeared on her show, but also to assist those in need in
other Spanish speaking countries and environs. During
the last year, the association has served more than 9,000
individuals and has given its support to 1,000 nutritional
programs. The press has called Laura the "Eva Perón of
Peru."
"Tengo una invitación que me han
hecho para estar en Nueva York en el desfile de Colombia el 29
de julio donde me han nombrado madrina internacional", dijo
Bozzo en una teleconferencia desde Lima, Perú.
La conductora del programa "Laura" dijo también que tiene el
"compromiso" de viajar a México con la cadena Televisa "cuando
salga de acá".
"I have an invitation to go to
New York, in the Colombia's parade on July 29, I have been named
International guest" said Bozzo during a teleconference from
Lima, Peru.
The host of the program "Laura" said she has the "commitment" of
traveling to Mexico with Televisa.
...The Laura en America show and
LibertadLatina
compliment each other. In effect,
LibertadLatina
is the Internet version of Dr. Bozzo's show, and vice-versa.
Many viewers of the Laura en America Show visit
LibertadLatina
and write affectionate letters for "Laura." We
always post
Laura’s fan letters.
Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Bozzo,
LibertadLatina and sister
organizations in the Americas, women of all races and all classes have
new-found, powerful voices against impunity. Women and girls in
even the most remote regions of the Spanish speaking world can watch
Laura's show and put gender equality into practice in their personal
lives. The women’s rights, anti-domestic violence and
anti-exploitation movements across the Americas are greatly strengthened
by Dr. Bozzo’s work.
Dr. Bozzo is a true pioneer in the woman and children’s human rights
movement!
Chuck Goolsby
Fundador y
Coordinador (Founder and Coordinator)
LibertadLatina
International Women's
Day
March 8, 2005
LibertadLatina
Commentary
- April 23, 2005
LibertadLatina
applauds Dr. Laura Bozzo's continuing work to find creative
ways to express the gravity of the crisis in women
and children's human rights in Latina America.
Dr. Bozzo's TV show is giving voice to victims of
sexual violence in a way that exists nowhere else in
the Latin American world. Dr. Bozzo's show
accomplishes this feat while remaining fast-paced,
interesting and up-beat. The show is very
popular. New and repeat episodes are shown in
two popular daily time slots.
We
especially thank Dr. Bozzo for presenting, during
early 2005, many dozens of cases of women and
girls who face rape with impunity in the home, in
their communities and in their workplaces.
In
a number of recent shows, children, youth and adult
women who had been raped by adult men in either
their home, community or workplace (or in their
mother's domestic workplace) spoke up bravely to
denounce their abusers. It is impressive that
the Laura en America show is able to have
victims of utterly terrible cases of sexual assault
come to the show and stand up bravely to their
assailants. It is equally amazing that the men
(and sometimes women) perpetrators of rape, child
trafficking and physical violence are equally
willing to stand up and justify their criminal
actions with what they feel is a clear conscience.
The
extreme emotions involved in both sexual violence
and in regard to infidelity (another major theme of
the show) often provoke angry outburst of violence
by women and girls against (mostly male)
perpetrators.
The
unique use of hidden video cameras, set up in
collaboration with women and child victims of sexual
and other domestic violence, provides the undeniable
evidence of criminal action that proves to the
entire world, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that
women and children in Latin America face violent
impunity as a very common experience of daily life.
Several programs shown during mid-April, 2005 were
especially powerful.
...To see a stepfather deny raping his young
underage stepdaughter, and then to see video tape of
this man throwing the girl on a bed and ripping her
cloths off violently just before raping here was
shocking beyond words. The man had previously
denied the accusation.
...To see the poignant story of a young boy who, as
the hidden video shows, was constantly beaten by his
mother's live-in boyfriend of 4 months, and to hear
from the boy himself how this man had attempted to
rape him when he came home one night drunk, opened
the eyes of this boy's mother to the fact that her
new boyfriend was in fact a monster. Hidden
Video footage showed this man beating both the
boy and his mother.
In
the two cases related above, the perpetrators of
these acts of sexual and physical violence against
children were taken from the set of the show
straight to jail, accompanied by a Lima city
prosecutor.
The
author can remember several cases of impunity facing
Latina women and girls in the Washington, DC region,
where the availability of a remote video camera
would have been invaluable to proving the abuses
were occurring in the workplace. Without such
video tape, criminal perpetrators know that they
will remain safe. Without video, that case
becomes a one-against-one situation of "his word
against your word."
We
also applaud the several cases covered recently
discussing the fact that divorced men and
ex-boyfriends demand sex from their ex-mates as a
condition for providing even minimal financial
assistance to these women, and to these men's own
now father-less children.
The
recurring theme heard in almost all of Dr. Bozzo's
shows is that poor women and also underage children
in Peru face ongoing sexual violence, and society
has neither an economic nor a law enforcement
'safety net' nor much desire to protect victims
from men who act with impunity. Many women and
girls exist in a 'gender hostile hiving
environment' where they are expected to exchange
sex for food, money, a place to stay, and/or (in the
case of male employers or mother's employer)... a
job.
In
this gender hostile living environment, which exists
for all over Latin America and also exists in
immigrant communities in the United States, the line
between prostitution, trafficking and basic survival
can become very blurred. Large numbers of
women and underage girls have testified openly that
they must exchange sexual favors (outside of love)
to survive in a culture where sexism has left them
undereducated and unable to earn sufficient money to
reduce their reliance on the men who exploit them
with impunity.
Male
exploiters believe in machismo's tenet that women are
literally inferior to men. Machismo also teaches men
that all women and girls in their social sphere, and any
woman on the street, may legitimately become targets of
their sexual harassment & assault. Such men treat the
exploitation of poor women and girls as a game, and thus
become serial abusers, seeking out multiple victims.
The Laura en America show clearly shows how these common
patterns of oppression work against the interests of women &
girls in Peru.
For women
and children today and in the future, the right to live free
of impunity will depend largely on the actions and voices of
individuals who are willing to have the guts to say: STOP
- ENOUGH! - BASTA YA!
Dr.
Laura Bozzo is a shining example of that spirit of
moral purpose. All of us can follow that
example, speak up and also make a real difference in
the lives of women and children facing exploitation.
Thank you Dr. Bozzo for denouncing these ongoing
acts of atrocity against women, children, and
sometimes men, carried out by men who grew up
believing that they are literally superior to women
and that they have a birth-right to "sexual
privileges" from any woman and girl who comes under
their control in their household, on the street, in
schools and in the workplace.
We
support Dr. Bozzo's efforts to bring real change and
positive alternatives to women and children facing
impunity in daily life. We hope that our work
follows her humble and untiring example.
Chuck Goolsby
Fundador y
Coordinador (Founder and Coordinator)
LibertadLatina
April 23, 2005
In Peru:
75%
of all women are raped before their 15th birthday.
Statistics reproduced from "SEMILLAS PARA EL CAMBIO" [Seeds of
Change] - a publication of the Centro de Ayuda a Victimas de
Violacion (Center for Rape Victims) Department of Health, San Juan,
Puerto Rico, 1992.
Girls, Age 9 to
14, Disappeared in Peru.
"We work without
funds, supported only by enthusiastic volunteerism.
In Peru, as in many Latin American Countries, the
conditions of sexual exploitation and child labor
are very serious issues. These conditions
motivate child abductions, creating a situation
requiring a response from the entire world."
soy su
fanatica no.1 y yo quiero mandarle muchos saludos y
bendiciones. Mi hija de 3 anos es su fanatica tambien le
gusta la cancion del programa ,
Nosotros
siempre vemos su programa. Usted es una persona que mando
dios para ayudar a estas personas usted es un
angel
espero que algun dia venga a Texas para hacer un programa.
Aqui tambien hay personas que tienen historias verdaderas y
tristes que contar.
Estoy
contenta por escribirle , tu amiga naty sanchez de Mcallen
Texas .
I am a
46 yr old Cuban-American female, who has been in the
United States since the age of 7. I am employed with
the State of Delaware and I am a caseworker for a family
agency. Many of my families are Latin American, and
Domestic Violence, Sexual and Physical Abuse, and
Substance Abuse are present in many of the families.
Many of the families feel that these things are the norm
in their families because that is all they have ever
known. I have been told by many that " everyone in
Mexico " and " Guatemala " feel that violence and abuse
are ok, and " it is the way of life". I try to educate
my families about violence and abuse, and the effects
that it has on the children, and watching Laura has
confirmed to me that these issues are not the norm nor
acceptable in many of these countries.
Laura is
a strong, passionate, caring, nurturing woman, and a
great model for Latin American people. May GOD continue
to Bless her!
August 8, 2005
Dra.Laura Bozzo, usted es un senora, madre
ayudante, exepcional, espero que la vida le de
lo mejor, por que yo se que hay tantos angeles
en su guardia que siempre la van a proteger, que
dios la bendiga, y ojala yo pudiera ayudar a
tanta gente como ayuda usted, desde texas
artemisa hopper, god bless you.
Micha
August 3, 2005
Laura is
a fascinating woman. It is difficult to keep up with
her without perfect Spanish. I enjoy her program and
appreciate her effort to improve the lives of so
many people. It made me so happy that she got out of
the house arrest situation.
Donny
July, 31 2005
Querida doctora Laura Bozzo la
razon de esta carta es que mi abuelita es fan numero
1 de usted i pues yo
quisiera
que ella la conociera en persona a usted pues es muy
dificil porque ella vive en guaymas y llo en verdad
quisiera que se conosieran pues ella esta muy
enfermita
Atentamente
Katya Dennise Dominguez Sevilla
July 27, 2005
Laura,
Le felicito por
su fortaleza y por su integridad y estoy muy contenta por
que ya esta libre en mi casa no se pierde ni un dia de
ver su programa somos muy fanaticos suyo
bueno que dios la bendiga al igual que su familia
Xiomara
July 25, 2005
Buena suerte!
Un ser como la Sra. LAURA BOZZO, merece
solo cosas buenas, hace mucho tiempo tuve la oportunidad
de oirla, y es un Angel. Por eso pido a Dios la ilumine
siempre. Y muchas cosas lindas para ella.
Esther
June 8, 2005
Gente como usted hace la
diferencia en este mundo.
Querida Laura Bozzo.
Señora Laura, me da mucho gusto saber que haiga
personas como usted que hacen la diferencia en
la vida de otros seres humanos. Tambien
reconozco que todo esto se hace realidad gracias
al apoyo de toda la produccion de la cadena de
telemundo. Muy bien muchachos!! Cada vez que
miro el programa, le agradezco a Dios por lo que
tengo y por lo que me ha dado. Dios me ha
enseñado que los tiempos de la vida no son ni
malos ni tampoco buenos, que mientras haiga
guerras y suframos de violentos impactos y
sufrimientos, esta no va ser una leccion facil
de aprender. Adelante, que su conocimiento y su
generosidad sigan venciendo en la vida.
Con todos mis respetos.
Marlen Velazquez
May 24, 2005
DEAR LAURA, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THAT YOU REALLY MAKE PEOPLE STOP
AND THINK FOR A MOMENT ON HOW
ONE IS BEING TREATED/ HUMILIATED
WITHOUT EVEN REALLIZING IT.
I REALLY LOVE YOUR SHOW IT
WAS THE BEST TIMES MY MOTHER AND
I SHARED IN FRONT OF THE T.V.
BEFORE SHE PAST AWAY 1 1/2 YEARS
AGO. SHE LOVED WHAT YOU DO
FOR YOUR PEOPLE!!! AND SO DO
WE!!
HERE IN EL PASO, TX. I
GOT ALL MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO
WATCH YOUR SHOW CAUSE I WOULD
TALK SO MUCH ABOUT THE
SITUATIONS AND BUSTS HAD IN YOUR
VIDEOS WITH ALL THOSE LYARS!!
I LOVE IT. IT IS SO INTERESTING.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND MAY
GOD GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO
CONTINUE TO DO SUCH A GOOD JOB
IN HELPING PEOPLE AND BEING SO
STRONG. BY THE WAY WE ALL
THINK YOU ARE SO PRETTY AND I
LOVE THE WAY YOU DRESS.
YOU LOOK ALOT PRETTIER AND
YOUNGER WITH YOUR HAIR SORT OF
LONG, NOT TOO SHORT, BUT ANY
WAYS IT'S YOU THAT COUNTS!!!
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY.
M. Negrete
March 22, 2005
Querida Laura,
Quisiera pidirle un favor. bueno yo soy mexicana tengo
16 anos meenacanta su show. bueno vivo en california
pero e visto muchas cosas feas en ciudad juarez
mexico que matan a las mujeres jovenes y las violan y
matan para ser vidois pornograficos y venderlos en
europa. Nuestro govierno no hace nada al respeto.
Pero a la mejor usted nos puede ayudar. Porfavor
yo se que estados unidos quiso ayudar pero nuestro
govierno no quiso. Pero si nos juntamos si
podemos. Porfavor usted siempre ayuda la jente
porfavor ayudenos. Aunque no soy de Ciudad Juarez
soy de Michoacan Mexico creada en los estados unidos.
Me importa lo que les pasa a mi jente latina. Como
dicen los Latinos unidos jamas seran bencidos.
Sinceramente
Carmen E.
March 2, 2005
Dear
Dr. Laura,
I
love to watch your program and I love to see you help
people. My mom cries for you everyday. Every time she sees
your show she cries because of the kind things you do for
people. She admires you and your simplicity, and she loves
the person that you are. My name is Andre, 13, and my mom is
Maria. We live in Connecticut. My mom is Portuguese and I
was born in America along with my older brother and sister.
I hope that these words will reach you so that you know that
we are your fans, and we support you. I would like to meet
you one day. Thank you very much for everything that you do.
We love you.
Love,
Maria, Andre, Paul, and Erica
February 23, 2005
Querida Laura,
Hace mucho tiempo que queria
escribirle para felicitarla por su programa
porque usted es una buena cuidadana y siempre se
preocupa por los demas. Yo se que eso algun dia
Dios lo va a tomar en cuenta y usted tendra su
recompensa. Yo siempre veo el programa com mi
tres hijas y mi hijo y quisiera que ellas
abrieran los ojos para que se den cuenta de
todas las cosas que pasan en el mundo y que
nunca le llegue a pasar a ninguna de ellas.
En el programa de hoy
(Febrero 23, 2005) Ese caso me impacto mucho
porque como usted dice nunca se puede confiar en
nadie y me gusto con la fuerza que usted dijo
"No me importa si me dan tres o cinco anos mas
pero voy a seguir denunciando lo malo y la
corruption de la gente".
Yo siempre ha pensado que es
injusto que una persona que ayuda tanto a la
gente este en esa situacion de arresto
domicilario.Yo espero que algun dia se haga
justicia a usted
porque Dios es justo y las cosas son hasta un
dia. Que Dios y la Virgen la acompanen siempre y
derramen muchas bendiciones en uted y su
familia. Somos siempre sus fieles admiradoras.
Esperamos conocerla algun dia. Saludo a
Christian.
Desde el Bronx, New York
*Brijida Reyes
*Stephanie
*Rocio
*Carolina
*Luis
February 23, 2005
QUERIDA,LAURA,
YO SE QUE A USTED LA
CRITICAN MUCHO.POR ESNSENNAR LA POVRESA DEL
PERU.PERO TAMBIEN SE QUE EL PERU ES MUY HERMOSO
Y MODERNO.SOLO QUIERO QUE LA GENTE CROMPRNDA LA
MAGNITUD DE SU PROGRAMA.ES USTED UNA PERSONA
EXTRAUDINARIA Y DE BUEN CORAZON.PARA MI USTED YA
TIENE UNA ESTRELLA EN EL CIELO Y POR ESO DIOS LA
VA A GRATIFICAR.TENGA FE USTED SABE QUE LA FE
MUEVE MONTANAS.Y SU MONTANA PRONTO VA A
DESAPARECER/
ME LLAMO CRISTINA Y VIVO EN PHOENIX ESTADO DE
ARIZONA USA.
QUE DIOS LA CUIDE
SIEMPRE
February 8, 2005
Dear laura,
Iam una señora con
educacion. Solo quiero decirle que la admiro y
la respeto mucho. Le pido mucho a Dios que la
ayude y que el personalmente le haga
justicia..No pierda la fe, Dios nunca llega
tarde. Dios le bendiga siempre. Vivo en San
antonio, Texas.
Cariños.Paula
January 28, 2005
Querida Laura,
Hola! me llamo Julymar y vivo en
Pennsylvania. Yo me concidero tu fan # 1...
Queria escribirle para que supiera
que aca en Pennsylvania todos los hispanos estamos con
ud. y confiamos en que saldra libre muy pronto. Dios la
bendiga y que muy pronto salga libre pues ud. se merece
la libertad y muchas cosas mas!
JANUARY 15, 2005
QUERIDA LAURA.
ME LLAMO
ROBERTO ALMAGUER Y VIVO EN LOS ANGELES, CA. SOY CUBANO
DE NACIMIENTO Y VINE PARA ACA DESPUES DE MUCHO VIAJAR
POR EL MUNDO BALIANDO PARA EL BALLET NACIONAL DE CUBA,
DEL CUAL FUI BAILARIN SOLISTA, Y LO CUAL TAMBIEN ME DIO
LA OPRTUNIDAD DE VIAJAR A TU PAIS , POR EL CUAL SIENTO
PROFUNDO RESPETO. ALLI GANE MEDALLA DE ORO EN UN
CONCURSO INTERNACIONAL DE BALLET EN 1989.
EN FIN,
QUE ME DA MUCHO GUSTO AL MENOS EXPREZAR ESTAS PALABRAS
AUNQUE NUNCA LLEGUEN A TI.
TE ADMIRO
PROFUNDAMENTE POR MUCHAS COSAS.
ME IMAGINO
QUE PODRIA DECIR MUCHO,Y NO SE SI ALGUNA VEZ PODRE DE
ALGUNA MANERA DECIRTELO PERSONALMENTE.
SIN
EMBARGO, DEBO DECIR QUE ME SIENTO A VER LA TV HISPANA Y
A PESAR DE SENTIRME DECEPCIONADO DE LA TV EN GENERAL
HISPANA Y NO HISPANA, EL PODER OBSERVAR TUS PROGRAMAS ME
LLENA DE ALEGRIA.
LOS TEMAS
QUE SE TOCAN EN TU DIARIO LUCHAR POR EL BIEN DE LOS
CIUDADANOS DE TU PAIS, LA CONSTANTE LUCHA POR LA
EDUCACION DE LAS MASAS, Y EL FERVOR FEMINISTA QUE IMPONE
TU EDUCATIVO PROGRAMA,SON LA MEDICINA QUE NUESTRA GENTE
TANTO NECESITA.
EN NUESTRA
AMERICA LATINA, EL MACHISMO HA LLEGADO A NIVELES TAN
ALTOS QUE PARECE QUE NOS HAYAMOS QUEDADO CONGELADOS EN
EL TIEMPO.
TENDRIAMOS
QUE PASARNOS HORAS HABLANDO DE ESTE TEMA.
SIN
EMBARGO PIENSO QUE UNA DOSIS AL DIA DE ESTA EDUCACION ES
ALGO QUE HOY DIA NO TIENE PRECIO.
TE
ARADEZCO EN NOMBRE DE AMERICA LATINA.QUE SE SEPA QUE EN
TODO EL MUNDO HAY PROBLEMAS SOCIALES, PERO AQUELLOS QUE
SIEMPRE LUCHAN POR LOS DERECHOS SERAN SIEMPRE PRESENTES
Y SEGUIRAN SIENDO "LIBRES" A LA VISTA DE LOS DEMAS.
CON TODO MI RESPETO Y
ADMIRACION.
SINCERAMENTE:
ROBERTO ALMAGUER
January 15, 2005
Saludos de mi para Laura
Hola Laurita. Como estas mi nombre es
Veronica yo en este momento vivo en USA.
Yo siempre veo tu programa y
es mas desde Peru. Cuando yo vivi alla en
Lima siempre trate de ir a tu programa pero no
me dejaban entrar por que habia un monton de
gente pero en fin espero que ahora puedas
recibir este mensaje. Yo tengo 21 años.
Soy de Hyo y vivi toda mi secundaria en Lima con
mi hermana cuando mi mamá se vino aqui para
poderme traer en el futuro. Mi papá casi
toda una vida se hizo desentendido de mi y de
mis hermanos. Bueno es por eso que cuando
llegue vine con la meta de salir adelante para
ayudar a mis hermanos y a mi mamá, pero por
circuntancias de la vida y mis problemas conoci
a un muchacho el es Boliviano y me enamore de
el. Ahora ya nos casamos y tengo una nena
muy preciosa de apenas dos meses... pero a todo
esto Laurita me da mucho remordimiento y rabia
de no poder hacer por mis hermanos lo que
supuestamente vine hacer aqui ahora.
Tengo una hermana en especial
que me gustaria que la pudieras ayudar de
cualquier forma mi hermana Ena es madre soltera
ella siempre vio por mi se dejo de llevar un pan
a la boca por darme a mi. Ahora ella no
tiene apoyo de nadie y ella tiene dos niños
hermosos de los cuales me siento muy orgullosa
,Laura nisiquiera tenemos una casa propia
viviamos en la casa de mi hermana todo por culpa
del desgraciado de mi papá... Laurita
quisiera que me regreses este mensaje para
contarte mas a detalle basicamente por que te
estoy pidiendo tu ayuda por favor te lo ruego.
No te pido dinero pero se que hay otras maneras
de las tu me puedes ayudar. Gracias.
Veronica
January 7, 2005
Querida Doctora Bozzo,
Desde Montana, EEUU, te deseo mucha
suerte en tu lucha por la libertad y la exposición de
la verdad. Todos que ven tu programa saben que eres una
persona de mucha integredad con un fuerte sentido de la
diferencia entre el bueno y el malo; estos rasgos te van
a liberar, porque siempre triunfa el bueno.
Gracias por ayudar a la gente, y
también por educar al mundo que pasa en otras partes del
mundo. Ojalá que toda la gente aquí con 3 platos de
comida todos los días y una casa caliente pudiera ver el
programa; seguramente agradecerían mejor su situación.
También quiero agradecerte por haber
controlado mejor la situación de violencia en tu
programa; nunca se debe permitir y has respondido con
más empleados de control.
Muchas gracias, mucha suerte y te deseo
un Próspero Año Nuevo.
Caroline de Montana
Diciembre/December 19, 2004
Ms. Laura Bozzo, Corazon de Oro...
I am writing from the state of
Colorado and a lot of families here admire you and we think
you are a remarkable woman, with a Heart of Gold. I've seen
other talk shows in the Latin community but have never seen
anyone help as many people as you are helping. You go above
and beyond the call of duty by all you do for people from
helping with counseling, schooling, treatments, vehicles,
and housing. You are an amazing woman. You are strong and
full of love and compassion for people. You are such a
blessing in this world.
Unlike other
talk shows you are truly there to help people, not just to
benefit from them for publicity or money. May God bless you
Laura, and I pray that all your problems be resolved soon,
and you be safe with your family. I can imagine how
stressful it is for you everyday, but yet you still have so
much compassion and a smile for everyone you help.
Thank you Laura for all your kindness and help. May god one
day give you all the blessing back that you keep giving to
people with your heart of gold. If you get to read this
Laura please know lots of people in the US are behind you
and support you, keep standing strong.
A friend in Colorado,
Melissa Franco
PO Box 254
Broomfiled, CO 80038
Estimados aficionados,
Si usted quiere escribir una carta de
sentimientos positivos para Dra. Laura Bozzo para
www.LibertadLatina.org,
escribenos al siguiente e-mail:
Chuck@LibertadLatina.org
Presentaremos a su carta en esta pagina, con
tal de que hay espacio.
- Chuck Goolsby
LibertadLatina
no esta afiliado con Dra. Laura Bozzo o con la red de
television de NBC/Telemundo.
¿Quieres
contactar a Laura? ¿Tienes un caso que quieras compartir con
ella?
Telemundo Network has made a big
investment in improving the marketing, the on
stage set design and the 'star stature' of Dr.
Laura Bozzo, which she well deserves.
Dr. Bozzo's one hour show is so
popular that new and rebroadcast shows are run
twice daily in the U.S. Telemundo market.
All of these facts help Laura's
advocacy work, which while focused on the
conditions facing women and children in Peru,
are also meant to give voice to people across
the Americas, especially for those who live in
the many regions where no strong voice for
justice has risen up to say
¡NO!
to impunity and
¡Yes!
to the sanctity of the family, the sanctity of
children and women's rights and racial equality
(nowhere else on Spanish language TV do
Afro-Latin and Indigenous-Latin persons get
treated with true equality and respect. On
Laura's show, ALL persons are provided a
platform to express their true, heartfelt
sentiments, typically borne of their harsh,
lifelong experiences with sexual oppression in
daily life).
Keep up the great work!
- Chuck Goolsby
LibertadLatina
Dec. 23 2004
Diciembre/December 22, 2004
We at LibertadLatina.org wish to thank
Dr. Laura Bozzo for her untiring, dedicated work for women
and children facing oppression. The number number of
recent, well articulated and well documented (filmed) events
of child and adult sexual exploitation openly discussed on
her show have been powerful testimony to the severe
exploitation faced by children and women in Peru and across
all of Latin America.
Dr. Bozzo's forceful and persistent
moral and legal objections to acts of impunity (on the part
of men and women) have done more than anything else
in the popular media in Spanish, to expose impunity.
Without Dr. Bozzo's pioneering work,
strongly supported by the Telemundo Network (an NBC
subsidiary), our movement to end the sexual oppression with
impunity of women, childrren and men in the Americas would
not be advancing at the pace that is is today. Dr.
Bozzo's reinforces the efforts of human rights advocates
across the Spanish speaking world, reminding them that they
are not alone in fighting the tremendous and increasing tide
of impunity, sexual violence and trafficking that all of our
communities are faced with today.
As Dr. Bozzo states in her current,
Christmas 2004 season's greeting,
"¡Deseo
amor, justicia
y peace...
para todos!"
"I wish love,
justice
and peace...
for all!"
We wish to express the
same sentiment!
Thank you, Laura
Bozzo!
- Chuck Goolsby
LibertadLatina
Dec. 15, 2004
Diciembre/December 15, 2004
On December 14,
2004 Telemundo news reported that a sister and
nephew of Dr. Laura Bozzo had been kidnapped in
Peru. Dr. Bozzo's sister was freed by the
kidnappers, but her nephew is still being held.
We all wish
for a safe return of Dr. Bozzo's family member.
(Dr. Bozzo was placed under house arrest
by a Peruvian judge in 2002.)
El magistrado
indicó en su resolución que persisten los
motivos procesales por los que se ordenó la
medida restrictiva de libertad, ante el
peligro de que Bozzo evada la acción de la
justicia o las investigaciones se vean
perturbadas.
Mas Noticias
sobre / More News about - Doctora Laura Bozzo
Latin America's
Leading Women's Rights Advocate Lawyer Dr. Laura
Bozzo Airs Legal Defense in the International
Press. (More English language articles will be
forthcoming.)
La polémica conductora
de "reality shows," Laura Bozzo, dijo el lunes
que había denunciado al Estado peruano ante la
Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
(CIDH) de la OEA por el arresto domiciliario que
cumple en Lima durante casi 27 meses.
24 Horas Libre Peru - 10-05-2004
Decepcionada por el
sistema anticorrupción peruano, la presentadora
de televisión, Laura Bozzo, acusada de presunto
peculado y asociación para delinquir, espera
encontrar justicia en las Cortes
Internacionales.
"Alejandro Toledo es
mi primer testigo, porque si a él he perjudicado
que vaya al juicio oral y diga en qué lo he
perjudicado. Él y Lucrecia Orozco son mis
principales testigos", indicó la conductora de
televisión, Laura Bozzo.
La Sala
Anticorrupción "C" -que preside la vocal Denisse
Baca- rechazó el nuevo pedido de libertad que
presentó Laura Bozzo al considerar que no
hay nuevos elementos que permitan variar su
situación procesal.
La animadora de
televisión, Laura Bozzo, será juzgada
públicamente el próximo 19 de noviembre en la
Base Naval del Callao, por sus presuntos
vínculos con el ex asesor presidencial,
Vladimiro Montesinos.
September,
2003 comments of a
LibertadLatina.org
reader:
E-mail feedback: "From a Salvadoran Woman to the World"
HOLA AMIGOS:
En mi concepto de mujer vengo atraves de uds hacerle
un llamado al Presidente del Peru para que deje ya de amolar a la
Abogada
Laura Bozzo, porque es el el unico responsable de su captura quien
no desea que
ella este libre porque tiene rencias con lo de la nina que no
queria reconocer y
que reconocio .
Basta ya Senor Presidente del Peru una Latina se lo esta pidiendo.
Basta yaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,dejela en paz que trabaje por los pobres
esa mujer es
valiosa para el peru ya no la jodan mas.
Pobrecita Laura de peru yo si te apoyo.
Al fin y al cabo si Laura
hubiese recibido algun dinero no fue para ella sino
para sus obras sociales que son muchisimas y de eso debiera de
estar
agradecido Toledo.
basta ya saquen a Laura
LIBERELA TOLEDO.
Hello friends:
From my perspective as a woman, I would like to use this forum
to call upon the president of Peru to leave attorney Dr. Laura
Bozzo in peace, because he is the only one responsible for her
detention, who doesn't want to see her released, because he is
angry about the girl [Laura Bozzo's TV interview with Mr. Toledo's
daughter outside his marriage]. That's Enough, Mr. President
of Peru. This Latina is asking you do this [for Dr. Bozzo].
Enough Nowwwwwww, leave her in peace so that she can continue to
work for the poor. She is a valiant woman for Peru.
Don't play with her any more! Poor Laura of Peru, I indeed
will help you [stand up for you].
Finally, if Dr. Bozzo did receive some money [from now
discredited Fujimori secret service operatives], the money was not
for her, but to finance her social work, which President Toledo
should be thankful for. That's enough, let Laura go!
Free her, Toledo!
Spanish to English
translation - Chuck Goolsby
Other recent comments from a male reader: "We love you, Laura!"
International Talk
Show Host Dr. Laura Bozzo Faces Arrest in Peru for Alleged Association with
Jailed Fujimori Security Chief Vladimiro Montesinos
LibertadLatina
Commentary
August 18, 2002
In early August of
2002, Peruvian attorney Dr. Laura Bozzo, an internationally known talk show
host, was detained by Peruvian authorities for her alleged associations with
the security chief of ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Vladimiro Montesinos.
Dr. Bozzo denies the charges. Dr. Bozzo's daily TV show, seen by millions
of the Spanish language Telemundo network, is a groundbreaking platform for
the first-ever public discussion of women and girl-children and their
experiences with oppression, rape, domestic violence and unfaithful love.
In 2001
LibertadLatina
posted the
following commentary on Dr. Laura Bozzo. We at
LibertadLatina
continue to
support Dr. Bozzo and her creative and pioneering contributions to turning
the negative tide regarding the oppression with impunity of women and
children in Peru and in the entire Spanish speaking world. Be
strong, Laura!
The internationally broadcast Peruvian TV talk show "Laura in America"
is breaking new ground in the coverage of the widespread sexual
exploitation and physical abuse faced by women and young girls at home and
in the workplace.
The
international Spanish Language program "Laura en America,"
originates in Peru and is broadcast via the Telemundo network.
Similar in format to many American daytime talk shows, Laura en America
dares to break with the code of silence on sexual exploitation issues
affecting Peruvian women. Each day lawyer and talk show host Laura
Bozzo features several women who have survived abuse or rape from their
husbands, boyfriends or bosses. Women tell their stories, and the
alleged abuser is brought onto the set of the live show to be questioned
and, often, to be shown film of their own misdeeds. The women abused
by these men are given a chance to confront the accused, and the show
allows a good deal more violence from the victims than would be permitted
even on America's Jerry Springer Show.
Unlike the
Springer Show, Laura in America is serious, and is providing a
groundbreaking forum for the open and heated discussion of sexual
exploitation issues affecting Latin American women. In addition to
seeking out women from everyday life to assist via her show, Laura Bozzo
is active in other venues, bringing assistance to exploited women in need.
On Tuesday,
May 22, 2001, Laura en America covered the issue of the sexual
exploitation of young, poor women who work in office jobs in Peru.
In two separate cases, multiple victims of bosses who demanded sex, and
then raped the women workers, were confronted by the victims in the
presence of the accused men's surprised spouses. One victim appeared
on the show at 4 months into her pregnancy. She became pregnant
after her boss gave her a date rape drug, and she woke up in a hotel room
with him, having been raped against her will. The other man featured
had also raped his female workers with the use of force.
The previous
day, May 21st, Laura en America featured several Peruvian women
who were routinely savagely beaten by their husbands, and who had numerous
scars everywhere on their bodies. One husband had thrown his wife
off of a second story balcony in their apartment. The husband showed
no remorse, a common reaction from the men confronted on this show.
This abuser complained to the show host that his wife didn't have his
permission to come to the Laura in America
show.
Another
recent show of Laura en America had victims who secretly video
taped their husbands beating them mercilessly in their homes and
threatening to kill them. The city prosecutor arrested these men
immediately after the talk show ended.
We at
LibertadLatina
want to thank
Laura Bozzo for exposing the truth in such an open and powerful way.
Laura's work is pioneering, and, like its competitor, the
Cristina Show on the Univision Network, she is doing the much
needed work of confronting criminal impunity in the form of rape, physical
and psychological violence and the degradation of women in Peruvian
society. A society where an estimated 75% of girl children are raped
before their 15th birthday, and where an estimated 80% of men beat their
wives. Laura Bozzo is saving lives and building a brighter future
for all women and children in the Spanish speaking world.
Laura en America is effectively the TV version of our web site, and
we at
LibertadLatina
find in Laura
encouragement to persist in the struggle to defend women and children from
sexual and physical abuse and rape with impunity, a centuries-old problem
that in the year 2001 is growing explosively and is merging with the
scourges of cartel-backed criminal sex trafficking and the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. There is no
justification for the abuse of women and children, nor for continuing to
treat women and children as inferior and sometimes disposable human beings
who simply exist to please men.
LibertadLatina
especially thanks Laura Bozzo for breaking the code of silence that allows
the exploitation of women to continue as if it were something sacred,
which it sure is not. Silence is also violence!
A Spanish language
description of the Laura en America show, and Laura Bozzo's photo are
available at:
http://www.telemundo.com
Telemundo is
broadcast via cable in most regions of the United States, and is carried
worldwide to other Spanish speaking TV markets.
The
crisis in Paraguay
-
including coverage of the important
work
of anti trafficking prosecutor
Teresa Martínez
and the unjust
retaliatory impeachment that she is
now facing
Though most are known to deal with
drugs and weapons, a new FBI threat
assessment says street gangs have
been moving into some different
territory lately: human trafficking.
The FBI says gang members
increasingly are pushing women and
children into prostitution.
The MS-13 gang got its start among
immigrants from El Salvador in the
1980s. Since then, the gang has
built operations in 42 states,
mostly out West and in the
Northeastern United States, where
members typically deal in drugs and
weapons.
But in Fairfax County, Virginia, one
of the wealthiest places in the
country, authorities have brought
five cases in the past year that
focus on gang members who have
pushed women, sometimes very young
women, into prostitution.
"We all know that human trafficking
is an issue around the world," says
Neil MacBride, the top federal
prosecutor in the area. "We hear
about child brothels in Thailand and
brick kilns in India, but it's
something that's in our own
backyard, and in the last year we've
seen street gangs starting to move
into sex trafficking."
In Virginia, at least, the
consequences can be severe. Over the
past few weeks, one member of MS-13
nicknamed "Sniper" got sent to
prison for the rest of his life.
Another will spend 24 years behind
bars for compelling two teenage
girls to sell themselves for money.
Usually, investigators say, gang
members charge between $30 and $50 a
visit, and the girls are forced into
prostitution 10 to 15 times a day.
It's easy money for MS-13 —
thousands of dollars in a weekend,
with virtually no costs. Except for
alcohol and drugs to try to keep the
girls off-kilter.
Often, the activity takes place at
construction sites, in the parking
lots of convenience stores and gas
stations.
"Yeah, this last case we worked, the
victim was 12 years old," says John
Torres, who leads the Homeland
Security Investigations unit at the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
office in Washington.
He says the girl, a runaway,
approached MS-13 gang members at a
Halloween party. She was looking for
a place to stay. Within hours, she
was forced to work as a prostitute.
"You have a gang that's taking
advantage of people that are in a
desperate situation, usually
runaways or someone that's looking
for help from the gang," Torres
says.
Joshua Skule, who oversees the
violent crime branch of the criminal
division at the FBI's field office
in Washington, lists some reasons
for street gangs' move into sex
trafficking.
"It is not like moving, or as risky
as moving narcotics. It is not as
risky as extorting business owners,"
he says. "And these victims really
have no way out."
Skule says they're like modern
indentured servants. The 12-year-old
girl involved in one of the recent
sex trafficking cases is safe now,
authorities say. But she'll be
dealing with the physical and
emotional scars for many years.
"When someone leaves, there's a lot
of shame and guilt associated with
the time they were there," says
Victoria Hougham, a social worker
who helps victims and survivors of
sex trafficking.
"They may have physical injuries
which can impact, especially for
young women, their sexual and
reproductive health."
Hougham works with Polaris
Project,
a nonprofit that runs a 24-hour hot
line that helps connect victims of
human trafficking with police or
social services. She says survivors
of that kind of abuse do best when
they reconnect with their families
and get support from law
enforcement.
Prosecutors in Virginia say they
expect to bring more sex trafficking
cases against gang members over the
next several months.
Carrie Johnson
All Things Considered
National Public Radio
Nov. 14, 2011
Added: Nov. 14, 2011
Congressional anti trafficking leader Rosi
Orozco eulogizes Interior Department leaders in the war against modern
slavery
Mexico
Mexico’s Secretary of the Interior José
Francisco Blake Mora and other officials recently died in a
tragic helicopter accident.
Congressional deputy Rosi Orozco, president of
the Special Commission to Combat Human Trafficking in the
Chamber of Deputies
Comunicado
Con profunda tristeza me uno al dolor que
embarga a las familias de cada uno de los pasajeros que viajaban junto
con el Srio. de Gobernación José Francisco Blake Mora, en el trágico
accidente sucedido el día de ayer; Felipe de Jesús Zamora Castro,
subsecretario de Asuntos Jurídicos y Derechos Humanos [y otros]…,
quienes sirviendo a su Nación, perdieron su vida.
Siempre estaremos agredecidos por el
apoyo del Srio. José Francisco Blake quien en funciones subió el tema
del delito de Trata de Personas al Consejo de Seguridad Nacional
equiparando así este delito con el de secuestro. En todo momento fue un
hombre dispuesto y determinado a luchar por tener un mejor país, una
mejor Nación, un mejor México para nacionales y extranjeros.
Felipe de Jesús Zamora, gran aliado en la
lucha contra la Trata de Personas, comprometido con la campaña de la ONU
en contra de este crimen, portando todos los días en la solapa de su
traje el símbolo del Corazón Azul, su pérdida para mí es irreparable.
Press Release
It is with deep sadness that I join with the
pain felt by the families of each of the passengers who were traveling
with Mexico’s Secretary of the Interior José Francisco Blake Mora
during the tragic [helicopter] accident that happened yesterday...,
including Felipe de Jesús Zamora Castro, Secretary of Legal Affairs and
Human Rights at the Interior Department.
We will always be thankful for the
support of Secretary Blake Mora, who raised the issue of human
trafficking before the National Security Council, where he equated
trafficking with crime of kidnapping [which is penalized much more
severely under Mexican law]. The Secretary was at all times a man
willing and determined to fight for a better country, a better nation, a
better Mexico for nationals and foreigners.
[Another victim of the crash,
Undersecretary of the Interior for Judicial
Affairs and Human Rights] Felipe de Jesus Zamora was a great ally in the
fight against trafficking in persons. He was committed to [Mexico’s
collaboration with] the United Nations Blue Heart campaign against
trafficking, wearing therir blue heart pin on his lapel each and every
day. His loss is irreparable.
I join the pain of all Mexicans, who
have lost brave servants of our nation. They defended the values which
make Mexico great through their day-to-day hard work and determination.
I sympathize with their beloved families, peers and colleagues.
Attentively
Atentamente
Diputada Federal Rosi Orozco
Nov. 11, 2011
Added: Nov. 14, 2011
Mexico
Protest sign says "We need authorities
who will indeed protect us - not rapists."
La Comisión Interamericana investigará una denuncia de violación de un
grupo mujeres en un operativo policial en San Salvador Atenco en 2006
Según la documentación de organizaciones civiles, al menos 26 mujeres
fueron violadas, de las cuales, 11 acudieron ante la CIDH (Cuartoscuro
Archivo).
La Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) admitió investigar
el caso de 11 mujeres mexicanas que aseguran que fueron víctimas de
tortura sexual durante una represión policial en 2006 en San Salvador
Atenco, en el Estado de México.
Durante el 143° periodo ordinario de sesiones, la CIDH emitió un informe
para comenzar a investigar la petición 512-08 Mariana Selvas Gómez y
otros vs. México, interpuesta en abril de 2008 bajo el cargo de dilación
de justicia por la nula investigación en el caso.
“Ni la Fiscalía Especial de Delitos Violentos Contra las Mujeres y Trata
de Personas (Fevimtra) ni la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado
de México (PGJEM) han realizado una adecuada investigación y ningún
policía, de los más de 2,500 agentes que intervinieron, ha sido
sancionado”, acusa el Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro
Juárez (Centro Prodh), que lleva el caso legal de las denunciantes.
La Comisión investigará ahora si el Estado mexicano cometió violaciones
de derechos humanos y dará a conocer sus conclusiones en cuanto la parte
acusadora y el gobierno mexicano sean notificados sobre las mismas.
La población de San Salvador de Atenco se movilizó en febrero y mayo de
2006 contra la expropiación de tierras en San Salvador Atenco para la
construcción de un nuevo aeropuerto internacional en el centro del país.
La protesta derivó en un enfrentamiento en el que participaron 2,500
policías de los tres órdenes de gobierno. Dos personas murieron y 207
fueron detenidas.
Organizaciones civiles como el Centro Prodh denuncian que durante el
operativo del 3 y 4 de mayo de 2006, al menos 26 mujeres fueron víctimas
de tortura sexual; de las cuáles, 11 presentaron una querella ante la
CIDH.
Estas mujeres denunciaron que los agentes las detuvieron por participar
en los disturbios y que en los vehículos donde eran trasladadas a un
penal sufrieron violencia sexual, física y verbal.
Una de las denunciantes, Italia Méndez, escribió una carta en el quinto
aniversario del operativo en Atenco: "La tortura sexual ejercida contra
nosotras las mujeres en los operativos fue un hecho difícil de afrontar
y denunciar, dimensionar tal violencia contra nuestros cuerpos nos
resultaba desbordante, sin embargo, el mantenernos juntas y enfrentar al
Estado de forma colectiva nos permitió afrontar y desmontar el discurso
del poder en el cual nosotras debíamos sentir vergüenza y no podíamos
hacer nada con lo ocurrido”.
En julio de 2010, la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN)
ordenó la liberación de 12 integrantes del Frente de Pueblos en Defensa
de la Tierra (FPDT), que estaban sentenciados a penas de entre 31 y 112
años de cárcel por el delito de secuestro equiparado tras haber
participado en la protesta.
Un año antes, la Corte dictaminó que los policías que fueron parte del
operativo cometieron graves violaciones a las garantías individuales.
Hasta ahora, sólo uno ha sido consignado por actos libidinosos, pero no
fue encarcelado.
La SCJN también deslindó responsabilidad al expresidente Vicente Fox y
al exgobernador del Estado de México, Enrique Peña Nieto.
El exmandatario estatal dijo en 2008 que volvería a ordenar un operativo
similar en caso de que fuera necesario restablecer el orden y la paz
social. Sin embargo, un año después, reconoció que en el caso existe un
“alto grado de impunidad” en cuanto a violaciones y abusos cometidos por
los 2,500 policías que participaron, pero dijo que era “prácticamente
imposible saber quién las cometió”.
Cinco años después de haber avalado el operativo, Enrique Peña Nieto es
el político mexicano mejor posicionado en las encuestas para los
comicios presidenciales de 2012.
International Commission will investigate the case of 11 Mexican women
who charge sexual torture [at the hands of police]
The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) has decided
to investigate
rape complaints filed by a group of women in regard to a police
operation that occurred in the city of San Salvador de Atenco in 2006.
According to documentation assembled by nongovernmental organizations,
at least 26 women were raped at the time of the incident. Eleven of those victims have
pursued the case that will be considered by the IACHR.
During its 143rd regular session, the Commission issued a report to
begin investigating
petition 512-08 - Mariana Selvas Gómez et al.,
Mexico, filed in April 2008 on allegations that justice was not served
because officials failed to investigate the case.
"Neither the [federal] Special Prosecutor for Violent Crimes Against
Women and Trafficking in Persons (FEVIMTRA) nor the Attorney General of
the State of Mexico (PGJEM) conducted an adequate investigation, and
none of the more than 2,500 police officers involved [in the operation]
has been penalized,” declared a spokesperson for the Miguel Agustín Pro
Juárez Human Rights Center (PRODH Center), which provides legal
representation for the complainants.
The Commission will now investigate whether the Mexican government
committed human rights violations and will publish its conclusions after
the complainants and the Mexican government are notified about them.
The population of San Salvador Atenco had mobilized in February, and
then in May of 2006
in protest against the expropriation of land within the city that was to
be used for the construction of a new international airport. The protest
led to a confrontation and a response by more than 2,500 federal, state
and local police officers. Two people died and 207 were arrested.
Civil society organizations such as the PRODH Center reported that during the
operation, which took place between May 3rd and 4th
of
2006, at least 26 women were subjected to sexual torture. Eleven of those
victims joined to bring the IACHR complaint.
The women reported that officers had arrested them for participating in
the disturbances, and that they were sexually, physically and verbally
assaulted on the buses that transported them to jail.
One of the complainants, Italia Méndez, wrote a letter on the fifth
anniversary of the operation in Atenco and stated: "The sexual torture
that was perpetrated against us as women was hard to face and denounce -
such violence [against] our bodies was overwhelming. Nonetheless, by
staying together and by confronting the state collectively, we were able
to dismantle the discourse that was [publicized] by those in power, a
discourse that said that we should feel ashamed and that we could not do
anything about what had happened."
In July 2010, the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) ordered the release of
12 members of the Peoples' Front in Defense of the Land (FPDT), who had
been sentenced to between 31 and 112 years in prison for the crime of
kidnapping after participating in the protest.
A year earlier, the Court ruled that the police officers who were part
of the operation committed serious violations of individual rights. So
far, only one officer has been prosecuted for lewd acts. He was not
jailed.
The supreme court also exonerated [former] president Vicente Fox and the
former governor of Mexico state, Enrique Peña Nieto in regard to the
case.
Peña Nieto said in 2008 that he would have ordered a similar operation
again in the event that it become necessary to restore order and social
peace. A year later, Peña Nieto acknowledged that there was a "high
degree of impunity" in regard to the violations and abuses committed by the
2,500 police officers involved, but said it was "practically impossible
to know who committed those acts".
Five years after having [ordered and] supported the operation, Enrique
Peña Nieto holds the top position in polls leading up to the 2012
presidential race.
When the women left their homes that May morning in 2006, they never
imagined the horrific experience that lay ahead of them.
During a police operation in response to protests by a local peasant
organization in San Salvador Atenco, more than 45 women were arrested
without explanation. Dozens of them were subjected to physical,
psychological and sexual violence by the police officers who arrested
them.
In the case of one of the women, police officers pulled her hair, beat
her, and forced her into a state police vehicle with her shirt pulled
over her head. She was made to lie on top of other detainees, and during
the journey to the prison, police officers sexually assaulted her
repeatedly.
Once at the "Santiaguito" prison near Toluca in Mexico State, the prison
doctors who examined many of the women failed to document all their
physical injuries or to gather evidence of the sexual abuse they had
suffered.
More than four years later, these brave survivors are still waiting for
justice.
None of the officials responsible for their abuse have been held
accountable. Federal authorities had conducted an investigation that
resulted in a list of 34 names of police officers who were suspected of
being responsible for the abuses, but the federal authorities concluded
that these individuals should be prosecuted at the state level.
Almost no progress has been made in over a year. Now is the time to push
for real justice and remind the federal government of Mexico that it has
the ultimate responsibility to protect the human rights of its citizens,
and not to let this impunity continue...
Ante los hechos de explotación sexual se realizará una marcha pacífica
el próximo 12 de noviembre en la zona turística de Cancún
El Centro Integral de Atención a la Mujer Maltratada (CIAM-Cancún)
documenta los casos de al menos 17 menores de edad, víctimas de una red
de tratantes de personas en la Riviera Maya, quienes vivían
originalmente en situación de calle y fueron captadas por tratantes que
las "engancharon" en el turismo sexual, comerciándolas sexualmente para
el consumo de turistas canadienses, italianos y norteamericanos,
principalmente.
La organización, que brinda asesoría psicológica, emocional, jurídica y
alberga a mujeres víctimas de violencia, conocieron de los casos como
parte de la campaña "Yo no estoy en venta" que iniciaron en mayo pasado
para prevenir y combatir el delito de la Trata de Personas en sus
diversas modalidades, enfocada a adolescentes y jóvenes a quienes se
dota de herramientas para detectar el fenómeno, reconocer los signos de
alerta y, en su caso, denunciarlos a personas de su confianza.
Como parte de dicha campaña se realizará una marcha pacífica el próximo
12 de noviembre en la zona turística de Cancún para lanzar como mensaje
al turismo y a la industria de que Cancún es paraíso, pero no para el
turismo sexual y que la niñez en Quintana Roo, no está en venta, anunció
este martes la presidenta del CIAM-Cancún, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro.
La activista reveló datos
preliminares sobre los casos detectados y el estudio que han conformado
para dibujar el perfil de los tratantes de personas que operan en Cancún
y en Playa del Carmen -municipios de Benito Juárez y Solidaridad- en
donde estas mafias que explotan comercialmente a menores de edad son
protegidas por cárteles de la droga, específicamente por Los Zetas y los
"Pelones".
Del grupo de 17 víctimas halladas por CIAM, Cacho Ribeiro dijo que sus
edades oscilan entre los 13 y 16 años, que provienen de diferentes
entidades de la República Mexicana y que su común denominador estriba en
que la violencia doméstica que sufrieron en el hogar las hizo huir y
encontrar refugio en las calles…
"Esta modalidad de víctimas de Trata, que se encuentran en situación de
calle está cobrando importancia en Cancún y Riviera Maya. Hemos sabido
por testimonios de las propias víctimas que mantienen relaciones
sexuales con policías, comerciantes, taxistas y chavos de calle a cambio
de comida, protección, favores o drogas y no exclusivamente por dinero.
"Luego son captadas por sujetos a los que ubican como ‘valedores' que
primero las protegen, con quienes entablan un vínculo emocional muy
fuerte, y quienes terminan explotándolas sexualmente o entregándolas a
tratantes profesionales", expresó.
Estos ‘valedores' operan particularmente en la famosa Quintana Avenida,
localizada en Playa del Carmen y en playas aledañas a la zona. Y en
Cancún, en el Parque de las Palapas y en la zona de bares de la avenida
López Portillo.
La agrupación ha dividido en
tres al tipo de víctimas de Trata, detectados en Quintana Roo, durante
la campaña "Yo no estoy en Venta":
Infantes y adolescentes que viven con sus familias y son explotadas en
niveles socieconómicos altos, por amigos de la escuela y propietarios de
bares; quienes se reportan como desaparecidos o que huyeron de sus casas
y terminan dentro de una red local o internacional de Trata; y quienes
son traídas al estado por tratantes que manejan las rutas de tráfico de
migrantes indocumentados, principalmente de países como Guatemala, El
Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica y Paraguay.
Activists detect 17 cases of minor sex trafficking at Mexico’s Riviera
Maya resort
Given the facts of sexual exploitation, a peaceful march is planned for
November 12th in the resort city of Cancun
The Comprehensive Care Centre for Abused Women (CIAM-Cancún) has
announced that it has documented the cases of at least 17 underage
victims of sex trafficking networks in the Riviera Maya resort area. The
victims were homeless children who had been entrapped by a network of
traffickers who prostituted them for the consumption of sex tourists who
are principally from Canada, Italy and the United States.
CIAM, which provides emotional, psychological, legal and housing
assistance for women victims of violence, raised awareness of the 17
victims as part of its "I am not for sale" campaign. The effort began
last May to prevent and combat the crime of human trafficking in its
diverse forms. The campaign is aimed at teenagers and young adults who
will be educated to detect the phenomenon, to recognize the warning
signs and, where appropriate, report them to people they trust.
CIAM is organizing a peaceful march for November 12th in the resort city
of Cancun to launch its message to the tourism industry that Cancun is
a paradise, but not for sex tourism, and to declare that the children of
the state of Quintana Roo are not for sale, announced CIAM-Cancún’s
president, [journalist and activist] Lydia Cacho Ribeiro.
Cacho Ribeiro discussed preliminary data in regard to the cases detected
as well as deails about a study that CIAM has developed to determine
the profile of the human traffickers that are operating in Cancun and
Playa del Carmen - where the gangs who engage in the commercial sexual
exploitation of children (CSEC) are protected by the drug cartels, and
specifically Los Zetas and the "Pelones."
According to Cacho Ribeiro, the ages of the 17 victims found by CIAM are
between 13 and 16. They come from across Mexico. Their common
denominator is that they all suffered domestic violence at home that
drove them onto the streets.
"This type of victims of trafficking, who may be found to be living on
the streets, is becoming increasingly important in Cancun and Riviera
Maya. We have testimony from the victims who have declared that the have
sex with policemen, shopkeepers, taxi drivers and street kids in
exchange for food, protection, favors or drugs. It is not always an
exchange of money that is involved.
"Later, they are captured by subjects who pose as benefactors, who
protect them, and with whom they have a strong emotional bond, These
subjects end up exploiting the victim sexually, or they hand
the girl
over to professional traffickers,” said Cacho Ribeiro.
These 'protectors' are especially active in the famous Avenida Quintana
in Playa del Carmen, and along the beaches surrounding the area. In
Cancun, they operate in the Parque de las Palapas and in the bars along
the Avenida Lopez Portillo.
CIAM has categorized three types of victims of who have been detected in
Quintana Roo state during the I am not for Sale campaign: 1) children and
adolescents who are living with their families, who are exploited by
school friends and bar owners; 2) youth who are reported as missing or
who fled their homes and end up in a local or international [sex] trafficking
network; and 3) victims who are brought into the state by traffickers
who operate human smuggling routes that transport undocumented migrants
who are principally from the nations of Guatemala, El Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Paraguay.
While men have predominantly run drug
trafficking organizations (DTOs),
women have participated in them since
the 1920s. Their role may have
appeared miniscule compared to that
of their male counterparts, but they
have played key roles such as drug
mules and bosses…
Indirect
Effects of Drug Trafficking
Government
crackdowns on drug cartels not only
affect women directly, impacting
those who may be working as bosses
or mules, but also indirectly
through a resulting increase [in]
prostitution and sex trafficking.
These industries present an
alternative when governments place
heightened scrutiny on DTOs.
According to the International
Organization for Migration, sex
trafficking alone can produce USD 16
billion a year in revenue in Latin
America. With such high profits,
they are obvious choices to mobilize
in the midst of increased government
control…
Femicide
Emerges
The rise [in] the number of women in
prisons and the surge in their crime
rates are symptoms of a prominent
issue in Latin America, known as
femicide. Femicide refers to the
mass killings of women, and reflects
the excessive masculinity that is
associated with the drug industry…
[Drug crime is just one of many
causes of femicide in the region.]
Drug trafficking seems to heighten
the attitude that women are…
disposable... Although femicide
remains an issue for all of Latin
America, it has a greater presence
in parts of Central America. For
example, the [number] of murdered
women has tripled in four years,
from 2005-2009, in many Mexican
states from 3.7 to 11.1 per 100,000…
María
Virginia Díaz Méndez, of the Center
of Women’s Studies in Honduras,
states that, “Honduras comes in
second to Guatemala for the highest
femicide rate”. Despite growing
[rates of] femicide throughout the
region, it appears as though there
are little to no consequences for
committing such crimes…
The trafficking of women and girls
for purposes of sexual exploitation
has become a $16-billion-a-year
business in Latin America, according
to figures from the International
Organization for Migration.
That amount "is almost half of what
is calculated is generated
worldwide" by sex trafficking, said
IOM's director for the Southern
Cone, Eugenio Ambrosi, in an
interview published Wednesday in the
Buenos Aires daily Pagina/12.
Prostitution, he said, "is vying for
second place with weapons
trafficking as the illegal business
that moves the most money after drug
trafficking."
Ambrosi lamented the fact that
trafficking in women has "the
advantage ... (that) the logistical
and investment (costs) are much
lower" than in other illicit
businesses, and he added that
"there's a connection" between drug
trafficking and people trafficking.
"Sometimes the victims ... are
recruited to traffic drugs," he
said.
"There's a very well organized
network, with the capacity to
recruit and use women everywhere to
satisfy the requirements of the
market," said Ambrosi, adding that
"something has to be done to go
after the customers…"
WUNRN
Dec. 02, 2008
Added: Nov. 06, 2011
Remarks by Mexican anti-trafficking
leader Teresa Ulloa during her
acceptance of the 2011 Gleitsman
International Activist Award at the
Center for Public Leadership at
the Harvard Kennedy School
Mexico / Massachusetts, USA
Programme from
the 2011 Gleitsman
International Activist Award
ceremony
Buenas noches, quiero agradecer a
los miembros del Jurado y al Centro
para el Liderazgo Público de la
Escuela Kennedy de la Universidad de
Harvard por otorgarme el Premio
Gleitsman 2011 al Activismo Social
Internacional. También quiero
agradecer a cada una de las que me
nominaron, Corey, Norma, Dorchen y
Jan, todas ellas compañeras en
nuestra lucha y en la
CATW-Internacional, por confiar en
mí y por todo el trabajo que esta
nominación les representó.
Soy madre de una joven de 21 años,
que ha sido mi motivación y mayor
impulse para que haya dedicado mi
trabajo a contribuir a poner fin a
todas las formas de violencia contra
las mujeres, incluyendo la
sobre-sexualización y la explotación
sexual comercial de mujeres y niñas.
Yo sueño con que mi trabajo
contribuya para desarraigar la
normalización y la aceptación
cultural de la violencia contra las
mujeres para crear un mejor mundo
para todas ellas en todo el mundo.
He dedicado mi vida a luchar por los
derechos humanos, especialmente a
luchar contra la violencia hacia las
mujeres y las niñas, y, desde hace
veinte años, a combatir la trata de
mujeres, niñas y niños para la
explotación sexual. Durante 40 años,
he trabajado para empoderar y
defender a las mujeres para que
logren el acceso a sus derechos y he
representado a innumerables víctimas
de violencia sexual.
A menudo, he trabajado con un alto
riesgo personal y el de mi familia,
para erradicar la trata a lo largo
de América Latina y el Caribe,
especialmente en México, donde los
cárteles de las drogas ahora son los
actores principales de este delito.
En mi trabajo, he incluído un
enfoque holístico para crear las
condiciones legales, políticas y
sociales que permitan erradicar la
trata de personas. Uso mi
conocimiento y experiencia para
diseñar y poner en práctica campañas
y modelos de capacitación
innovadores para la prevención, la
protección y asistencia de las
víctimas, y para la persecución de
los tratantes y explotadores, para
capacitar a los agentes
institucionales encargados de hacer
respetar las leyes y para educar a
los jóvenes, entre otros.
Inspirada por nuestras Compañeras de
CATW-AP, diseñé un modelo dirigido a
hombres jóvenes para reducir la
demanda de sexo de paga. Este modelo
es el primero en su tipo para educar
a hombres jóvenes y niños sobre la
construcción de la masculinidad
tradicional y las consecuencias de
la demanda en el sexo de paga, que
además promueve una concepción
alternativa de la sexualidad
masculina basada en la igualdad de
derechos humanos. Este modelo se ha
aplicado en México, Argentina,
Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Perú,
Panamá, Chile, Colombia y la
República Dominicana.
Hoy, contamos con una red de cerca
de 400 organizaciones en 25 países
en la Región de Latinoamérica y el
Caribe, donde el avance del crimen
organizado y la trata de personas es
alarmante y la corrupción de las
instituciones gubernamentales y los
responsables de hacer respetar la
Ley es una constante. Cientos de
mujeres, niñas y niños se reportan
como desaparecidos y vivimos
continuamente con miedo. A través de
nuestro trabajo hemos rescatado más
de 899 mujeres, niñas y niños de la
trata interna e internacional con
propósitos de explotación sexual, a
través del Sistema Alerta Roja que
fundamos y operamos hace cinco años.
Sin embargo, todavia enfrentamos
muchos retos inmensos, que pueden
resumirse en:
La guerra y toda la violencia que
ella involucra contra las mujeres y
las niñas, en las actividades
militares y paramilitares:
violación, violencia sexual,
desplazamiento, muerte, hambre, el
abuso de poder al humillar a las
madres, esposas, hijas y hermanas de
los derrotados, los abusos sexuales
y la prostitución que promueven e
imponen los grupos armados, tanto
los regulares como los irregulares.
Queremos la paz sobre los intereses
económicos y políticos. Queremos el
imperio de la ley y de los derechos
humanos.
La discriminación de género, esa
discriminación que mata a miles de
niñas aún antes de que hayan nacido,
o aún cuando ya nacieron son
condenadas a la falta de
oportunidades, a la violencia de
género, a la explotación, a la mala
nutrición, a la marginación, a la
desigualdad, y a prácticas
tradicionales perjudiciales para sus
cuerpos y a su dignidad humana, como
el pago de las novias.
La pobreza y la extrema pobreza. La
feminización de la pobreza se ha
convertido en testigo de la
injusticia para un poco más de la
mitad de la población mundial.
Urgimos su abolición.
La violencia de género, esa
violencia que se ejerce contra las
mujeres y las niñas en los ámbitos
públicos y privados, en todas
partes. Las muejres y las niñas son
violadas cada día en sus hogares,
donde deberían tener garantizados
sus derechos a la vida, la su
integridad personal y a su
seguridad. Las mujeres y las niñas
son asesinadas cada día en medio de
la más absoluta impunidad. La
seguridad colectiva nunca será
posible si no se puede garantizar la
seguridad y la integridad de las
mujeres y las niñas.
Tenemos el derecho de ser una
prioridad en la agenda internacional
de cooperación, en los esfuerzos
para el desarrollo, y en la lucha
contra la pobreza, en los desastres
naturals, en la educación, en la
salud, en la protección de nuestros
derechos humanos, pero también en
los temas de seguridad nacional, en
la guerra y en la paz, en los
esfuerzos contra el terrorismo, y en
la lucha contra el crimen
organizado...
Good evening. I want to thank the
members of the jury and the Center
for Public Leadership at the Kennedy
School at Harvard University for
having awarded me the 2011 Gleitsman
Award for International Social
Activism. I also want to thank those
who nominated me, [Coalition Against
Trafficking (CATW) in Women
Executive Director] Norma [Ramos],
Corey, Dorchen and Jan, as well as
all of the sisters who are all
partners in our struggle at the
International CATW, for trusting me
and for all the work that this
nomination represents for them.
I am the mother of a 21-year-old
young woman, who has been the
greatest motivation causing me to
dedicate my work to helping to put
an end to all forms of violence
against women, including the
over-sexualization and commercial
sexual exploitation of women and
girls. I dream that my work
contributes to uprooting the
standardization and cultural
acceptance of violence against
women, resulting in a better world
for all women across the world.
I have dedicated my life to fighting
for human rights, especially to
combat violence against women and
girls, and, for twenty y ears, to
combating the trafficking of women
and children for sexual
exploitation. For 40 years I have
worked to empower and advocate for
women to allow them access to their
rights. I have represented
innumerable victims of sexual
violence.
Often, I have worked at high
personal risk to myself and my
family to eradicate trafficking
throughout Latin America and the
Caribbean, and especially in Mexico,
where drug cartels are now the main
actors in this crime.
I have included a holistic approach
in my work to create the legal,
political and social conditions that
will allow for the eradication of
human trafficking. Use my knowledge
and experience to design and
implement campaigns and innovative
training models for prevention,
protection and assistance for
victims, for the prosecution of
traffickers and exploiters, to train
the institutional actors responsible
for enforcing the laws and to
educate young people, among other
[activities].
Inspired by our sisters at the CATW,
I designed a model aimed at young
men to reduce the demand for paid
sex. This model is the first of its
kind to educate young men and boys
[that addresses] the construction of
traditional masculinity and the
impact of demand on paid sex. [The
approach] promotes an alternative
conception of male sexuality based
on and equality of [gender related]
human rights. This model has been
applied in Mexico, Argentina,
Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru,
Panama, Chile, Colombia and the
Dominican Republic.
Today, we have a network of nearly
400 organizations working in 25
countries in the Latin America and
the Caribbean, where the growth of
organized crime and human
trafficking is alarming and where
the corruption of government
institutions and those responsible
for enforcing Law is a constant
factor. Hundreds of women and
children are reported as missing and
we live in state of continuously
fear. Through the Red Alert system
that started
five
years ago, we have rescued more than
899 women and children victims of
domestic and international
trafficking for purposes of sexual
exploitation.
Nonetheless, we still face many
enormous challenges, when can be
summariezed as follows:
* Wars and all of the violence that
they create against women and girls,
in activities of military and
paramilitary groups: rape, sexual
violence, displacement, death,
hunger, abuse of power used to
humiliate the mothers, wives,
daughters and sisters of the
defeated, and the sexual abuse and
prostitution that is imposed by both
regular and irregular armed groups.
We want peace to prevail over
economic and political interests. We
want the rule of law and human
rights.
* Gender discrimination, which kills
thousands of girls even before they
are born, or that which, after they
are born condemns them to a lack of
opportunities, gender violence,
exploitation, poor nutrition,
marginalization, inequality, and
traditional practices that are
harmful to their bodies and to their
human dignity, such as payments for
brides.
* Poverty and extreme poverty. The
feminization of poverty has borne
witness to the injustices faced by a
little over half the world’s
population. We urge its abolition.
* Gender-based violence - violence
perpetrated against women and girls
in public and private spaces,
everywhere. Women and girls are
raped ev ery day in their own homes,
where they should be guaranteed
their rights to life, personal
integrity and security. Women and
girls are murdered every day in an
environment of the most absolute
impunity. Collective security will
never be possible if we can not
guarantee the security and integrity
of women and girls.
We have the right to be a priority
on the international agenda for
cooperation, in development efforts,
and in the fight against poverty, in
[relief efforts in regard to]
natural disasters, in education, in
healthcare, in the protection of our
human rights, as well as in regard
to national security issues, in war
and peace, in the efforts against
terrorism and in combating organized
crime...
Mi compromiso con la causa de
detener la explotación infantil
nació por una experiencia que me
hizo poner los pies en la tierra. En
2002, fui testigo de los horrores de
la trata de personas cuando
rescatamos a tres niñas temblorosas
que vivían en las calles pobres de
India. Prevenir que estas niñas
fueran víctimas de este horrendo
crimen fue un despertar personal.
Agradezco a la iniciativa Héroes de
CNN por permitir que Ricky Martin
Foundation comparta con otras
personas y las involucre en nuestro
compromiso por terminar con la
explotación de los niños por medio
de la trata de personas y la
esclavitud en el mundo moderno.
Eso fue hace más de una década.
Desde entonces, supe que mi
fundación debería arrojar una luz
sobre este tema tabú. La educación
ha sido nuestro pilar desde el
principio. En 2003, lanzamos People
for Children, nuestro proyecto
principal, para proporcionar
educación y soluciones a los
esfuerzos internacionales para
eliminar la trata infantil.
Este mercado sin escrúpulos —que
consiste en 27 millones de víctimas
en todo el mundo, de acuerdo con el
Informe de la Trata de Personas de
2011— genera hasta 32,000 millones
de dólares al año, una cantidad que
rivaliza con el tráfico de armas y
el narcotráfico. De estos 27
millones, la Unicef estima que cada
año 1.2 millones son niños que son
víctimas de la trata de personas
para trabajar como de mano de obra
forzada, en la industria del
comercio sexual, en la prostitución
y en otras formas de esclavitud.
Las estadísticas son impactantes.
Muchos las cuestionan porque los
crímenes se ocultan. Pero las cifras
no importan: prevenir la trata de
uno o de 200 niños le da validez a
nuestra misión.
Nadie debe ser explotado o privado
de su libertad...
My commitment to the cause of
stopping the exploitation of
children was born from a humbling
experience. In 2002, I witnessed the
horrors of human trafficking as we
rescued three trembling girls living
on the impoverished streets of
India. Preventing these girls from
falling prey to this horrendous
crime was a personal awakening.
I thank CNN's Heroes initiative for
allowing the Ricky Martin Foundation
to share and engage others in our
commitment to end the exploitation
of children by human trafficking and
modern-day slavery.
That was more than a decade ago.
Since then, I knew my foundation
must shed a light on this taboo
subject. Education has been our
pillar from the outset. In 2004, we
launched People for Children, our
principal project, to provide
education and solutions for
international efforts to eliminate
child trafficking.
This unscrupulous market -- which
consists of 27 million victims
worldwide, according to the 2011
Trafficking in Persons Report --
generates up to $32 billion
annually, an amount rivaling that of
the trafficking of arms and drugs.
Of the 27 million, UNICEF estimates
that 1.2 million are children who
are trafficked every year to work as
forced labor, in the commercial sex
industry, in prostitution and in
other forms of slavery.
The statistics are staggering. Many
contest them because the crimes are
hidden. But numbers don't matter:
Preventing one or 200 children from
traffickers validates our mission.
No one should be exploited and
deprived of his or her freedom...
El proyecto de Ley contra la Trata y
Tráfico de Personas planteará la
pena máxima (30 años de prisión)
para castigar la trata de niños,
niñas y adolescentes, informó la
diputada Marianela Paco (MAS).
“Hay
que establecer sanciones más duras
contra el delito de la trata de
niños, niñas y adolescentes con la
pena máxima, es decir, 30 años de
prisión”, afirmó.
El
proyecto integral, que es analizado
en la Comisión de Derechos Humanos
de la Asamblea Legislativa, señala
que el delito de trata “será
sancionado con 15 a 20 años de
prisión para el o la persona que por
cualquier medio (engaño, coacción,
amenaza o uso de la fuerza)
favorezca la trata de personas
dentro o fuera del país”.
El
documento define el delito de trata
de personas como la “captación,
transporte, traslado, acogida o
rapto de una persona con fines de
explotación laboral, sexual o la
extracción de órganos”. En tanto, el
tráfico de personas será penado con
una privación de libertad de cuatro
a ocho años.
Paco dijo que se espera que el
proyecto de ley sea tratado por la
Asamblea Legislativa hasta la
conclusión del periodo de sesiones
de esta gestión, para que el 2012 se
cuente con un instrumento legal que
establezca sanciones y penalidades
de privación de libertad para
quienes incurran en este tipo de
delitos.
Legislators propose harsh penalties
for child trafficking
According to Deputy Marianela Paco,
a legislator of the MAS party in
Bloivia’s Legislative Assembly, a
measure currently under
consideration - the Law against
Trafficking in Persons - will raise
the maximum penalty for trafficking
in children and adolescents to 30
years in prison.
Deputy Paco, "We need to establish
stronger sanctions against the crime
of trafficking in children and
adolescents with the maximum
penalty, that is, 30 years in
prison."
The bill, which is being discussed
by the Human Rights Commission of
the Legislative Assembly, calls for
the crime of trafficking "be
sentenced by from 15 to 20 years in
prison for a person who by any means
(deception, coercion, threat or use
of force) traffics in people either
inside or outside of Bolivia."
The proposed law also defines the
crime of human trafficking as the
"recruitment, transportation,
transfer, harboring or kidnapping of
a person for labor or sexual
exploitation, of for the removal of
organs…"
Deputy Paco said that she hopes the
bill will be addressed by the
Legislature during the current
session, so , that in 2012 we will
have an instrument that establishes
legal sanctions and penalties of
imprisonment for those who engage in
this type of crime.
Mexico, D.F.- La titular de la
Procuraduría General de la República
(PGR), Marisela Morales Ibáñez,
designó a José Cuitláhuac Martínez
como subprocurador de Investigación
Especializada en Delincuencia
Organizada (SIEDO).
Apenas en mayo pasado se había
designado a Patricia Bugarin como
titular de la SIEDO.
…Angélica Herrera Rivero en la
Fiscalía Especial para los Delitos
de Violencia Contra las Mujeres y
Trata de Personas (Fevimtra).
Los servidores públicos tienen la
encomienda de respaldar el trabajo
del gobierno de la República para
garantizar a la sociedad una
procuración de justicia sólida y
procedimientos penales efectivos y
expeditos…
La nueva titular de Fevimtra,
Angélica Herrera, ocupaba la
titularidad de la Unidad
Especializada en Investigación de
Tráfico de Menores, Indocumentados y
Órganos.
En su trayectoria profesional se ha
desempeñado en la Fiscalía
Especializada para la Atención de
Delitos Electorales y en la SIEDO.
Attorney General names new
leadership to organized crime and
gender violence / human trafficking
units
Mexico City - Mexican Attorney
General Marisela Morales Ibáñez has
named José Cuitláhuac Martinez
Assistant Attorney General for
Specialized Investigations into
Organized Crime (SIEDO). Cuitláhuac
Martinez replaces Patricia Bugarin,
who had been been appointed to the
post in May of 2011.
…Angelica Herrera Rivero was named
to take over the office of the
Special Prosecutor for Crimes of
Violence Against Women and
Trafficking in Persons (FEVIMTRA).
Public servants have the task of
supporting the work of the
government of the Republic to ensure
that society is provided with strong
law enforcement and effective and
expeditious criminal procedures …
The new head of FEVIMTRA, Angelica
Herrera, previously served as the
head of the Special Unit for
Investigations into Child
Trafficking, [crimes against the]
Undocumented and Organ trafficking.
Herrera had also worked in the past
ain the office of the Special
Prosecutor for Electoral Crimes, and
within SIEDO.
Miguel Cabildo
Proceso
Mexico
Nov. 01, 2011
Added: Nov. 06, 2011
Mexico, The United States
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Anthony Wayne (right) hosts
anti trafficking NGO
roundtable in Mexico City
U.S. Government provides $1.5
million for Mexican anti-trafficking
NGOs
La embajada de Estados Unidos en
México anunció que este mes serán
entregados 1.5 millones de dólares
en fondos, para apoyar a las
organizaciones mexicanas de la
sociedad civil que trabajan contra
la trata de personas.
La representación diplomática
informó que estos recursos
económicos se sumarán a los cinco
millones de dólares que su gobierno
ha otorgado desde 2009 para ese
mismo propósito.
En un encuentro con organizaciones
no gubernamentales, el embajador
Anthony Wayne señaló que si bien los
gobiernos de ambos lados de la
frontera están comprometidos con el
combate a la trata de personas,
estos no pueden terminar con el
problema sin la ayuda de la
sociedad.
Al participar en una mesa redonda
sobre el tema, el diplomático
estadounidense afirmó que la trata
de personas es un problema global,
que afecta a la gente en ambos lados
de la frontera entre México y
Estados Unidos.
"Los gobiernos de ambos países están
comprometidos a cooperar
estrechamente para reducir este
comercio criminal; sin embargo, los
gobiernos no pueden terminarlo
solos. Ese es el motivo por el cual
reuniones como ésta son vitales",
declaró según un comunicado de la
representación diplomática.
Destacó que para ser eficaces en ese
propósito se debe aprovechar la
experiencia y capacidades de actores
apasionados, como son las
organizaciones de la sociedad civil,
al tiempo que reiteró el compromiso
del gobierno para cooperar en el
combate a este problema.
"Mi embajada espera continuar
nuestra cooperación efectiva con
estos grupos, al igual que con el
gobierno de México, hasta que
podamos declarar que hemos ganado
esta pelea", recalcó.
La embajada de Estados Unidos en
México recordó que en el combate a
la trata de personas, "emplean una
estrategia integral de todo el
gobierno, con énfasis en prevención
y en atrapar y proceder legalmente
contra los criminales, y más
importante, en protección a las
víctimas de este crimen".
Indicó que para mantener esta
estrategia, el embajador Wayne ha
ordenado a todas las agencias y
oficinas de la representación
diplomática a cooperar con la meta
de terminar con la trata de
personas.
Además del apoyo a los grupos de la
sociedad civil, la embajada ofrece
capacitación para actores
gubernamentales y no
gubernamentales, trae expertos de
Estados Unidos, al tiempo que
coopera estrechamente en esfuerzos
de justicia para combatir y prevenir
la trata, concluyó.
El Universal
Mexico
Nov. 03, 2011
See also:
Added: Nov. 06, 2011
Mexico, The United States
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Anthony Wayne (center left)
meets with anti trafficking
NGO leaders
Mexico City, November 3, 2011—The
U.S. Embassy in Mexico today held a
roundtable discussion with Mexican
non-governmental organizations who
are leading the fight against human
trafficking, including: Casa
Alianza, Fundacion Infantía,
Colectivo Nacional en Contra de la
Trata, Red Nacional de Refugios, and
Centro de Estudios e Investigación
en Desarollo y Asistencia Social
(CEIDAS).
Ambassador Anthony Wayne
chaired the discussion, which
covered public awareness, victim
protection, care for child victims
of trafficking, combating sexual
tourism, preventative education
programs and training, and other
topics.
“Human trafficking is a global
problem, one that affects people on
both sides of the U.S.-Mexico
border. The governments of both
countries are committed to
cooperating closely to curb this
criminal trade, however, governments
alone cannot wipe it out.That is why meetings like
this one are so vital.” said
Ambassador Wayne. “In order to be
effective, this campaign must
leverage the expertise and
capabilities of passionate and
committed actors from civil society,
such as these organizations gathered
here today.I was very interested to hear
the perspectives of these key NGOs
on both the problem and the actions
being taken to combat it. My embassy
looks forward to continuing our
effective cooperation with these
groups, as well as with the Mexican
government, until we can declare
this fight won.”
In addition to the $5 million
dollars in support the U.S. has
provided since 2009 to Mexican civil
society organizations working
against human trafficking, another
$1.2 million in U.S. funds to combat
trafficking in persons in Mexico is
being delivered this month.In combating human
trafficking, the United States
employs a whole-of-government
approach, with an emphasis on
prevention, finding and prosecuting
perpetrators, and most importantly,
protecting the victims of this
crime. In keeping with this
approach, Ambassador Wayne has
directed all agencies and offices at
the embassy to cooperate, with the
goal of ending human trafficking in
mind. In addition to supporting
civil society groups, the embassy
provides training for both
governmental and non-governmental
actors, brings experts from the
United States to engage with their
Mexican counterparts, and engages in
close law enforcement cooperation to
combat and prevent this traffic.
Austin - The possibility of more
suspects -- some even posing as
victims -- is fueling a human
trafficking investigation for Austin
police. Earlier this week they
busted a ring at an east Austin home
on Johnny Morris Road, where at
least eight confirmed victims from
Mexico and Latin America were
imprisoned.
So far, police have arrested one
man, Fernando Salazar, for
aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon. However, they say more
charges, including kidnapping and
human trafficking could be ahead.
"Just sad that people could be
treated this way,” said Melanie
Wassell, as she entered the home's
kitchen and was hit with the stench
of soured food. "Well the house,
it's full of garbage. Food just
everywhere."
Wassell works for the man who owns
the house and a string of other
rental properties. Now she and her
crew are must make sure what
smugglers left behind gets cleaned
up.
Police said the captives were here
for days, some of them maybe even
weeks, including a 15-year-old. When
he was unable to pay, they
threatened to keep him at the house
to cook and clean for them.
"Dirty clothes,” Wassell pointed
out, walking into one of the tiny
bedrooms. “The hygiene, it's just,
it's awful what you see in here,
that anybody was made to live in
these kind of conditions."
Held at gun-point, the other
immigrants faced returning to the
Mexican border, where their captors
would kill them if there families
could not come up with the money.
One man left what appears to be a
loved one's number on the wall,
while cell phones remained scattered
around the darkened rooms where they
slept on only mattresses.
Wassell said she hates to think what
would have happened if one of those
family members hadn't tipped off
police.
"It's a horrible thing that people
could do that to other people,” she
said.
The owner of the home said the man
police arrested is not the person
who rented the home two months ago.
The renter passed a criminal
background check, and now the owner
is trying to figure out how this
happened.
KXAN
Oct. 20, 2011
Added: Nov. 03, 2011
Historic caravan of mothers of missing migrants crosses Mexico
Mexico / Central America
Members of the Mesoamerican Mothers
Movement show pictures of their disappeared loved ones during
the installation of an alter at the site of the 2010 Tamaulipas
massacre of 72 migrants. The event occured during the group's
Fall 2011 awareness raising caravan across Mexico.
During an earlier march through
southern Mexico, Salvadoran mothers gather to pray and leave
offerings and crosses for their family members who were abused,
kidnapped and murdered in the 'mugging and rape gauntlet' at
Mexico's southern border region known as 'La Arrocera' - the
Rice Cooker.
Madres de inmigrantes desaparecidos en tránsito por nuestro país crearon
un equipo especial dedicado a labores ministeriales, encaminado a
obtener información sobre el paradero de las víctimas.
La idea es desarrollar labores que hasta ahora han sido olvidadas en la
Procuraduría General de la República o en las Procuradurías estatales.
Las “investigadoras” forman parte de las mamás que integran el
Movimiento Migrante Mesoamericano (MMM), el cual realiza desde el 30 de
octubre y hasta el 13 de noviembre una caravana de búsqueda de los hijos
por la ruta del Golfo de México, con paso por los estados de Tabasco,
Tamaulipas, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Ciudad de México,
Veracruz, Oaxaca y Chiapas.
La mayoría de ellas provienen de países como Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua, El Salvador y Estados Unidos.
De acuerdo con el plan de trabajo divulgado por el Movimiento, las
actividades de investigación consistirán, además del intercambio de
información con los migrantes que se encuentran en ruta, “en pesquisas y
seguimiento de pistas para encontrar a los familiares…,saber si viven o murieron o están privados de su libertad o en
situación de trata de personas”.
Y en “visitas a hospitales, prostíbulos, reclusorios, albergues de
indigentes y/o minusválidos y a cualquier lugar público en donde pudiera
hallarse algún dato”.
Esta labor es respaldada por organizaciones como Hermanos en el Camino,
Casa Belem del Migrante, Instituto Tamaulipeco para los Migrantes,
Pastoral Social Caritas, Casa de los Amigos, Cencos y Red Migrante, y
por instituciones como la CNDH y Amnistía Internacional.
Además de las indagatorias alternas, las madres tienen programados
plantones y exposiciones en las plazas públicas de lugares emblemáticos
del flujo migratorio, la implementación de un correo comunitario para
informar a otras familias sobre sus migrantes, así como ceremonias en
las vías del tren y en tumbas sin nombre en cementerios.
Uno de los eventos más importantes será el de hoy en San Fernando,
Tamaulipas, lugar de la masacre de 73 indocumentados el 23 de agosto de
2010.
“La idea es hacer un ritual en memoria de los asesinados, para
evidenciar el trato ilegal, inhumano y criminal que México dispensa a
los migrantes en tránsito, y denunciar y exigir cambios al gobierno
mexicano, que se ha conducido con complicidad, impunidad y se ha negado
a la reparación del daño de los afectados”, señala el MMM.
Caravan of mothers of migrants missing in
Mexico creates team of investigators
A group of mothers of Central American migrants
who have disappeared in Mexico have created a specialized team that is
dedicated to investigating the fates of their victimized loved ones.
The group’s goal is to take on the
responsibility of investigating cases that the office of the Attorney
General of the Republic has simply forgotten about.
The "investigators" are mothers from the
Mesoamerican Migrants Movement (MMM), which started a caravan across
Mexico on October 30th that will continue through November 13th of 2011.
The caravan is following the Gulf coast migration route in search of
their children. The caravan will cross the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca,
Veracruz, Tabasco, Coahuila, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro and Tamaulipas,
and will also enter Mexico City.
The majority of the marchers are from
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and the United States.
According to a work plan released by the group,
research activities will include exchanges of information with migrants
who are in transit, as well as the development and pursuit of leads with
the aim of recovering family members who may be either dead, or alive
and enslaved in a human trafficking situation.
The group added that they will be carrying out
search activities in hospitals, brothels, jails and prisons, migrant
shelters and at any other public environment where they can discover the
facts.
This work is supported by organizations such as
the Brothers on the Road migrant shelter, the Bethlehem Migrant House
shelter, the Tamaulipas Institute for Migrants, Pastoral Social
Charities, Casa de los Amigos, the Migrant Census and Network,
Friendship House, and by institutions like Mexico’s [national] Human
Rights Commission and Amnesty International.
In addition to their investigative work, the
mothers are planning to present workshops and information expositions in
public squares and at prominent landmarks along common migration routes.
The caravan will also institute a community mail system to allow
migrants to keep family members informed about their wellbeing, and will
hold ceremonies along rail lines [where migrants are often victimized]
and at unnamed graves located in cemeteries along the route.
One of the caravan’s most important events will
take place today in the city of San Fernando, in Tamaulipas state, where
the massacre of 73 undocumented migrants took place on August 23, 2010.
The Mesoamerican Migrant Movement declared
that, "The idea is to perform a ritual in memory of those who were
murdered, and to bear witness to the inhuman and criminal treatment that
Mexico dispenses to migrants who transit through its territory. We will
also denounce and demands changes from the Mexican Government, which has
to date has behaved with impunity as an accomplice [to this crisis], and
that denies reparations to those who were victimized as well.
Daniel Blancas Madrigal
La Crónica de Hoy
Nov. 02, 2011
Added: Nov. 03, 2011
Mexico /
California, USA
An underage girl stands waiting for the next john in the
Coahuila red light district of the city of Tijuana, in Baja
California state.
The sex trade in Tijuana is closely linked to the region’s violent drug
cartels – sex trafficking of children is thought to be the third-highest
revenue generator for the cartels after the drug trade and gun smuggling
The illegal sex trade is a growing export from the U.S. to Mexico,
according to the State Human Rights Commission of Baja, California. The
commercial sexual exploitation of children rakes in an estimated $32
million a year, much of that from Americans seeking illegal sex across
the border, according to the commission.
Child prostitution in Tijuana is not a new problem. What may be less
known is that among the boys and girls being sexually exploited across
the border are youngsters from the United States.
I met one of these children – a teenage girl from Riverside-- on an
undercover reporting trip to “La Zona Norte” in the red light district
along Tijuana’s Coahuila Street, known as a hub of sex tourism.
Under the neon lights along Coahuila Street I quickly discovered
Americans among both the exploited and the exploiters.
One man I met, who described himself as a pimp, told me he grew up in
Merced [California].
He wasn’t shy and was quick to tell me that “everything is available
here,” even children.
The price for sex with a young girl -- $40.
“It’s cheap bud,” he said. “Sex is really cheap here.”
The illegal sex trade is a growing export from the U.S. to Mexico,
according to the State Human Rights Commission of Baja, California. The
commercial sexual exploitation of children rakes in an estimated $32
million a year, much of that from Americans seeking illegal sex across
the border, according to the commission.
“We know that this problem is not a local one,” said Francisco Cota, a
spokesman with the commission. “It’s a regional problem. It’s a
bi-national problem. If there is a demand here in Mexico. There’s going
to be demand in LA.”
I paid the fee and the pimp introduced me to a girl who went by the name
Najeri. She told me she was 16 and from Riverside.
I explained to her that I was a reporter working on a story about the
child sex trade, and she immediately told me, “It wasn’t something I
decided to do.”
She showed me the room where she’s forced to have sex, a tiny stall
barely big enough for a shoddy bed.
“It can be very…very scary,” she said. “A lot of the times those guys
are Americans.”
Najeri told me that as a child left largely on her own she started
“hanging out with the wrong crowd” and was flattered the attention and
companionship of men in the group. By the time she learned their true
intentions it was too late.
The sex trade in Tijuana is closely linked to the region’s violent drug
cartels – sex trafficking of children is thought to be the third-highest
revenue generator for the cartels after the drug trade and gun
smuggling, according to the commission.
Both boys and girls are among the children being sexually exploited,
according to the commission, an assertion Najeri said is true. The main
client base for the boys is American, she told me.
They are “coming here and paying with the American dollars, so it’s just
like gold to them,” she said. “There are a lot of guys coming from the
states that live in Vegas, live in Hollywood, live in Los Angeles,” she
said.
Najeri is afraid to run away. Her pimp, she said, has told her what
happens to the bodies of runaways.
“The morgue comes by the hospital and incinerates it before anybody can
be alerted that an American died,” she said. “That struck fear in my
heart.”
She continued: “I don’t have the power or the ability to do that,” she
said.
Then she told me: “There’s been times when I have been wishing that
somebody like you or some people come down, inquiring about it
At that moment I had the impulse to walk out and take Najeri with me.
But I knew from talking with human rights advocates and with Najeri
herself that doing so would put her life—and possibly mine-- at risk.
Going to the police could make matters worse, as many police offers are
in cahoots with the drug cartels, Cota said.
“Corruption is a huge problem in Mexico,” Cota said. “It's one of the
main reasons why this problem is growing."
Willful ignorance among the general population is fueling the growth of
the sex trade, Cota said.
“Not a lot of people know about it,” Cota said. “They either ignore it
or they just really don't want to know about it. They just think this
happens in Bangkok."
A state office was recently established to combat child sex slavery. The
first step is overcoming the culture of fear that makes it difficult to
even openly acknowledge the problem, said Araceli Legosa-Parra a
spokeswoman with the office.
“We want to put out the information,” she said. “Most of the information
is not put out there because of fear.”
/ Welcome
About Dr. Laura Bozzo of Peru 
Latin
America's leading women and children's human rights activist,
attorney Dr. Laura Bozzo has recently ended 3 years under house
arrest in Peru. Dr. Bozzo's show "Laura in the Americas" is
seen daily by tens of millions of viewers across the globe.
angel
espero que algun dia venga a Texas para hacer un programa.
Aqui tambien hay personas que tienen historias verdaderas y
tristes que contar.
quisiera
que ella la conociera en persona a usted pues es muy
dificil porque ella vive en guaymas y llo en verdad
quisiera que se conosieran pues ella esta muy
enfermita
