Photo: The Universal Periodic Review of Mexico expressed concern about the criminalization of Susana Prieto Terrazas, a labour rights lawyer and human rights defender, who was arrested in June 2020. She issued a public plea following death threats against her for her independent union efforts in January 2021.
Mexican union leaders and activists should be able to seek protection through the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.
Mexico first created a Protection Mechanism for journalists in Autumn 2010. Two years later, the Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists was passed in June 2012. That law obliges both federal and state authorities to protect the rights of journalists and human rights defenders.
Union activists are human rights defenders
The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders has highlighted: “Leaders of trades unions undertake numerous tasks [and] when they are working specifically to promote or protect the human rights of workers they can be described as human rights defenders.”
Global Affairs Canada has also recognized workers as human rights defenders, the Investor Alliance for human rights has included labor union leaders in their definition, and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) has included trade unions in their description of who can be a human rights defender.
Hugo and Elizabeth in Ottawa
Photo: Elizabeth Guadalupe Mosqueda Rivera and Héctor Hugo Arreola Galván.
Two human rights defenders from Mexico will be in Ottawa next week to meet with Government of Canada officials, Members of Parliament, social movement and civil society allies, to raise awareness of the situation of human rights defenders and journalists in Mexico and find ways to support them.
Elizabeth Guadalupe Mosqueda Rivera from the Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity Oaxaca (Consorcio Oaxaca) and Héctor Hugo Arreola Galván from the Zeferino Ladrillero Human Rights Center (CDHZL).
Both Hugo and Elizabeth are members of the Civil Society Space of Organizations for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (Espacio OSC). Their work includes monitoring and proposing reforms and improvements to Mexico’s Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.
Threats to workers and union leaders
Mexican workers, most notably small-scale farmers, and union organizers continue to face a dangerous situation of threats, retaliations and killings.
Between 2012 and 2024, at least 23 small-scale farmers were killed in Mexico.
In July 2025, taxi union leader Mario N was killed in Cancun; in November 2024, workers attempting to union a Canadian-owned mine received death threats Zacatecas State leading to the independent Los Mineros union to request protection for its workers; in January 2021, labour lawyer Susana Terrazas Prieto issued a public plea to the Mexican President after receiving death threats for her efforts to organize an independent union at a U.S.-owned auto parts factory in Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas; in May 2019, union leader Gilberto Muñoz Mosqueda was assassinated in the city of Salamanca, Guanajuato; and in June 2016, two people affiliated with National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) were killed in Nochixtlan, Oaxaca.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has also highlighted: “On 9 February 2024, the facilities of the daily newspaper’s union, Sindicato Independiente de los Trabajadores de La Jornada (SITRAJOR), in Mexico were raided and vandalised by the newspaper’s own management.”
Protection Mechanism
In March 2020, Peace Brigades International (PBI) commented: “The Mechanism continues to demonstrate notable deficiencies and concerning failures.”
The year before that, PBI also highlighted: “The Mechanism can’t possibly address its shortcomings with its current budget and staffing levels. Providing additional funding would be the first step the Mexican government can take to ensure the Mechanism has the resources necessary to manage its rapidly growing caseload.”
In their submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Mexico in July 2023, Human Rights Watch noted: “The federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists continues to lack sufficient staff and funding and struggles to coordinate with state and local officials, leaving it sometimes unable to meet protection needs.”
“As of May 2022, eight journalists and two human rights defenders had been killed while receiving protection from the mechanism since its creation in 2012.”
They recommended that Mexico: “Ensure sufficient staff and funding for the federal protection mechanism for journalists and human rights defenders.”
Canada’s position
The Government of Canada appears to acknowledge this.
At the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session held on January 24, 2024, Canada recommended that Mexico: “Strengthen, from an intersectional and gender perspective, the federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, specifically in the areas of prevention, protection, investigation, and reparation.”
Moving forward
With Prime Minister Mark Carney travelling to Mexico today with the intention of announcing a new strategic partnership with Mexico this Friday, Hugo and Elizabeth will be in Ottawa to highlight that the Protection Mechanism must be strengthened to better support journalists and all human rights defenders at risk.
