Press Releases 08
Ambassador Garza Receives Mexican Legislators
Statement
by Ambassador Antonio O. Garza
Mexico City, July 24, 2008 - “Today I received a Mexican
Congressional delegation which included Chamber of Deputies
President Ruth Zavaleta (PRD) and Senator Adriana Gonzalez
(PAN). Pursuant to the adoption of the Mexican Congressional
Resolution on the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Avena
decision, the delegation expressed its concerns about the
impending execution of Jose Ernesto Medellin – a Mexican citizen
who confessed to and was later convicted of raping and murdering
two teenage girls, aged 14 and 16, in the state of Texas in
1997.
“I acknowledged the legislators’ concerns and outlined the
efforts made by the U.S. Government to comply with the ICJ’s
Avena judgment directing the United States to provide review
and reconsideration of the convictions and sentences of 51
Mexican citizens convicted of capital crimes in the U.S. who
were not informed of the right to seek consular assistance
in a timely manner.
“Following the ICJ decision, President Bush issued a determination
that the United States would discharge its international obligations
under the Avena decision by having the state courts provide
this review and reconsideration. However, on March 25, 2008,
the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that while decisions of the ICJ
constitute binding international law obligations on the United
States, the President did not have the authority to establish
binding rules of decision that would preempt contrary state
law.
“Subsequently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Attorney
General Michael Mukasey wrote to Texas Governor Rick Perry
requesting that he take the necessary steps to give effect
to the Avena judgment with respect to defendants held in the
state of Texas. U.S. federal and Texas state officials have
engaged in constructive discussions on this issue.
“With respect to Mr. Medellin, I made clear that he has been
afforded all judicial due process under U.S. law, and that
we should not lose sight of the fact that the real victims
in this case are the two teenage girls he brutally raped and
murdered.
“I closed by assuring the delegation that the United States
is committed to meeting its obligations to provide consular
access and notification when foreign citizens are arrested.”
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