The skeletons in Mexico’s closet

last updated 8 January 2015

Mexico City

The Mexican government committed “crimes against humanity” in its campaign against leftist rebels in the 1960s and ’70s, according to a draft report commissioned by President Vicente Fox. The authors of the report said three administrations arrested, tortured, and killed hundreds of suspected rebels during the “dirty war.” Dozens of bodies were reportedly dumped in the Pacific Ocean during “death flights” flown by military helicopters. The Mexican government has not released the findings, which were leaked to the National Security Archive, a Washington-based research group. Kate Doyle, director of the group’s Mexico Project, criticized Fox’s government for keeping its citizens “in the dark.” The government said the report was not yet complete, with some officials calling it “biased.”