The Mexican military is expected to attend the CANSEC arms and technology show at the EY Centre in Ottawa this coming May 27-28, 2026.
Image by CADSI (the Mexican flag is in the second row, second from the right).
Human rights concerns
In their World Report 2025, Human Rights Watch noted: “Soldiers [in Mexico] have been implicated in a wide range of serious abuses against civilians, including torture, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances.”
Amnesty International has also posted: “Members of the Mexican military have committed frequent crimes under international law and serious human rights violations with impunity. From 2014 to date, the CNDH [National Human Rights Commission] has received at least 6,661 complaints of human rights violations committed by SEDENA [Ministry of Defence], SEMAR [the Ministry of the Navy] and the National Guard.”
In July 2023, the Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project participated in an international observation mission that documented abuses against Indigenous territorial defenders opposed to the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus. The Mission reported: “Among the authorities responsible for the human rights violations identified during the mission are the National Guard, the Navy, the Sedena [the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense], the State Police…”
Consorcio Oaxaca, Tlachinollan, Cerezo Committee
Furthermore, The Guardian has reported: “Mexico’s military has a long history of spying on activists and journalists.” It is also believed that at least 109 Mexican human rights defenders and 25 journalists were infected by the Pegasus malware, including Yesica Sánchez Maya of Consorcio Oaxaca, Abel Barrera of the Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre, and members of the Comité Cerezo Mexico.
Consorcio Oaxaca and Tlachinollan are members of the Civil Society Organization Space for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (Espacio OSC). The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project accompanies Espacio OSC.
In May 2022, Quetzalli Villanueva, a lawyer with the Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre in Guerrero, was a featured speaker on a PBI-Canada organized webinar about militarization of territory just prior to CANSEC that year.
Espacio OSC
Espacio OSC has expressed concern about an attack against defenders by the Civil Force in Veracruz in June 2024.
Terradyne has previously posted a tweet that suggests its vehicles have been used by the Civil Force in Veracruz and that a delegation from Mexico visited their booth at CANSEC.
Terradyne has also posted on social media that it has sold its vehicles to the Nuevo Leon police, the Ministry of Public Security in Ciudad Guadalupe, Nuevo León, and the Saltillo Police Department – GROMS / SRT.
Still from Vanguardia video of Terradyne armoured vehicle used by the Saltillo Operational Reaction Group (GROMS).
In its World Report 2014, Human Rights Watch documented: “Mexico’s security forces have participated in widespread enforced disappearances since former President Calderón (2006-2012) launched a ‘war on drugs’. Members of all security force branches continue to carry out disappearances during the Peña Nieto administration, in some cases collaborating directly with criminal groups. In June 2013, Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) said it was investigating 2,443 disappearances in which it had found evidence of the involvement of state agents.”
CANSEC, May 27-28
A wide range of social movements, peace groups, faith communities, non-governmental organizations, and individuals will be mobilizing to protest the CANSEC arms show on Wednesday May 27 and Thursday May 28.
The Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC) has noted: “CFSC is planning to be present at CANSEC this year… We’re planning a silent vigil/Meeting for Worship on the afternoon of the first day of CANSEC to be a physical presence of unity and nonviolence—showing that strength comes through peace.”
For updates on the mass protest being planned for May 28, click here.
Peace Brigades International-Canada is highlighting the dangers faced by human rights defenders from the arms exports promoted at the CANSEC arms show as part of our commitment to holistic protection accompaniment.
