"Guerra sucia" torture methods released in Mexico

Wed01Mar2006

"Guerra sucia" torture methods released in Mexico

17:34 H | Topics: Activism - Justice - Mexico

A follow-up to Monday's story, "La Guerra Sucia: Mexico was not immune", Mexico's El Universal newspaper is reporting on the specific torture methods used in Mexico, known as the "Catalog of Torture". The announcement was part of the Mexican special prosecutor's press conference, held today, which brought to light a "censored" version of the report we talked about on Monday.

Not for the faint of heart, I've translated some highlights from the El Universal article:

"El pocito" ("the little well") consisted in bringing the person to the verge of death by asphyxia.
"El pollo rostizado” ("the roasted chicken") involved tying the subject's hands and feet and placing him on a stake, with a cord tied to his genitals. The individual would have to be careful with his balance so as not to lose his "private parts".

“El toque” ("the shock") was simple. The person would be submerged in water, only to later be given electrical shocks, relentlessly attacking a part of the body, particularly the anus and the genitals.

According to El Universal, the "catalog" also contains a special section entitled "beatings":

Beating on the soles of the feet with wooden planks

Facial disfiguring

Third-degree burns

Making victim swallow gasoline so that his insides would burn

Breaking of bones

Cutting of the soles of the feet

Introduction of water hoses in the anus to fill victim with water, followed by beatings

Another section, entitled "Threats" lists the following threats as reported by victims:

"They threatened to throw me into the sea."
Rape in front of one's husband

Introduction of glass bottles in the vagina of women and other abuses

Pointing at children with guns and threatening to torture them in front of their parents

This recognition by the Mexican government was long overdue, and hopefully will bring vindication if little comfort to victims and victims' families. A step in the right direction, but one must ask: what was in the "uncensored" report?

Read the whole report at the NSA website.

Via / El Universal

84 Journalists Threatened in Mexico in 2007 (Monday, Jan 07 2008)
Mexican Beauty Queen Arrested for Drunk Driving (Friday, Dec 21 2007)

Jennifer

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1. Ortega Gasett ~ Sunday, Mar 12 2006 | 02:53H:

La guerra sucia and Tlatelolco, is a horrific repression of the right to free speech and expression by the Mexican government. I was 10 when the 1968 Tlatelolco slaughter of the students occurred. I recall being terrified when my father explained of the saddest events. In 1986, I went back to study under the tutelage of professor Meyer at the Colegio De Mexico. He described how tanks surrounded the manifestations, only to see street gutters running with blood, and masses of bodies placed in helicopters which allegedly were dumped on the oceans of Mexico.... According to Meyer, Echeverria was the butcher responsible for the masacre.

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