They are the secrets of Mexico’s “dirty war,” people known as the desaparecidos, the disappeared. The window of Mexican glasnost has finally been opened: information from old government files about the kidnaps, torture, and the killing of leftists who challenged authority in the 70’s and 80’s is finally available. It’s access human rights advocates have long pushed for, despite threats from the old guard, but the new government of Vicente Fox says it’s time to prosecute the crimes of the past. These are the secrets of the PRI, the party that ruled Mexico for seven decades, and there will be political costs to uncovering the whole truth.
Guests:
Mariclaire Acosta, Mexico’s Undersecretary of Foreign Relations for Human Rights and Democracy
James Smith, Mexico City bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times
Roderic Camp, professor of Political Science at Claremont Mckenna College
and Pascal Beltran, political editor of Proceso, a Mexican news magazine.