Cecilia Romero, the National Institute for Migration, and Amnesty International

Cecilia Romero, head of the National  Institute for Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migración, INM), has much in common with other Calderón appointees: She is close personally to the president, yet appears highly ineffectual at her job. Following the recent discovery of the 72 migrants in Tamaulipas murdered by the Zetas, who are the main traffickers in immigrants, attention has again shone on the incompetent head of INM, an institute she has led for four years. Romero felt compelled to publicly reject that she was not leaving the INM - again hardly the first time - though reportedly she has lost the confidence of Interior Minister José Francisco Blake Mora. Given that Blake Mora is also very close to Calderón, things might be different this time. 


On the subject of immigration, and particular in light of the gruesome events of the past week, I want to draw attention to a superb investigation by London-based Amnesty International, called "Invisible Victims: Migrants on the Move in Mexico." (direct PDF download here). It offers a tremendous amount of insights into the migrant situation in Mexico, as well as the role of Mexican state institutions. The INM certainly does not come across in too glowing a light, as it appears far more occupied deporting illegal immigrants rather than helping the victims of human trafficking, of rapes, of beatings, of abuse. INM comes across every bit as brutal and abusive as its U.S. counterpart.


Given the venomous poison spewed by the catholic clergy the past weeks (or years), it is worth pointing out, as the Amnesty report does, the tremendously important and good work carried out by local catholic priests in states such as Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz, where priest-run shelters, as well as those of private individuals, not only give rest and comfort to exhausted migrants, but very often protect their very lives. 


While I personally believe most of these people are motivated by the kindness of their heart rather than by their faith, given the disconnect between these valiant individuals and their ultra reactionary high clergy leaders, the saying comes to mind that "christianity is that good, that even the catholic church has not managed to destroy it in two thousand years."