Mexico’s frontal assault on organized crime and drug trafficking networks has met with some successes but also resulted in increased reports of human rights violations by the military and civilian law enforcement. Professor Anaya is a leading expert on Mexico’s human rights challenges and how the country has sought to respond to these challenges, international criticism and the legal obligations Mexico has assumed in international human rights conventions and protocols. 

Professor Anaya is the Academic Coordinator at the Aguascalientes campus of one of Mexico’s most prestigious public universities, the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE). His academic research and professional work have focused on the rights of indigenous peoples and human rights in Mexico. His publications include articles in journals such as the Human Rights Quarterly, the International Journal of Human Rights and the Journal of Latin American Studies. His most recent book, The Country under Pressure: The Role of the Transnational Politics of Human Rights in Mexico (CIDE) is forthcoming next month. He is currently a Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar where he has been working on a text book on human rights for international relations students.

Comments by Maureen Meyer, Senior Associate, Washington Office on Latin America, and Santiago Canton, Director, RFK Partners for Human Rights and former Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (OAS).