The army lacks transparency: it denies information about its involvement in clashes with civilians

The Army it is the institution in Mexico that has had the most confrontations with civilians. From 2006 to 2018, they had 4,495 fights; a figure that exceeds those of the navy and the federal police combined, which recorded 395 and 497 respectively.

However, the specific reasons for the clashes are unknown nor how many people died, were injured or detained. The only information available is that provided by the institution to the media in situations that often correspond to attacks with organized crime.

Lack of documents containing specific information is a problem violation of its regulations and the transparency policy of the current president of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obradorwho, during his election campaign, had promised that the country would be "at the forefront of honesty in the world".

According to the guidelines of the use manual of the forces of the three armed forces of the country and the directive which governs the legitimate use of force, the The army is obliged to make detailed reports on the clashes.

The standard is that if one of the institutions is involved in an armed badault with the help of a deadly weapon, it is due "Prepare a detailed report describing the time, the modalities and the place where the events occurred, providing as much information as possible"

However, in March of this year, the Department of National Defense stated that there was no record of the number of civilians arrested, wounded or killed in clashes since 2014. This after the program's academics CIDE on Drug Policy and Organizing Members 19 will submit requests for information to find out which data should be public.

The Army argued that the obligation to collect information fell within the competence of the Attorney General of the Republic, which is true, but the Ministry of Defense should also have the data.

The applicants lodged a complaint with the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (resolutions RRA0030 / 19, RRA0266 / 19 and RRA10040 / 18), who appealed.

The Ministry of Defense has until April 11 to provide the requested information. Otherwise, it would violate the laws on transparency and the right of access to information.

Although it does not mean a penalty. From 2006 to 2016, INAI filed 134 public service complaints against government institutions that refused to provide information of a public nature. There was only one sanction four times. c & # 39; is to say, 91.7% of cases went unpunished.

Knowledge of the lack of transparency of the The army is given as part of the deployment of national guard forces on Mexican territory.

This public security body trained by AMLO It will work as a single command throughout the country. Although he is responsible for the Department of Public Safety and Protection of the Citizen, the elements of which it is composed are trained and directed by the Ministry of Defense.