La Reforma
September 16, 1999

The head of the National Immigration Institute (INM), Alejandro Carrillo Castro, confirmed yesterday that the Mexican government will respect the injunction that a judge awarded to Tom Hansen, from the organization Pastors for Peace, and that we would be able to return to the country as a tourist. He also made it clear that he could not participate in any way in political activities.

"Mr Hansen is going to be allowed back into the country, and some groups are going to say that it's a great triumph and that this means that they're going to be able to come from abroad and do whatever they like. Starting right now I'm telling them that they can't", he warned.

According to the [government news] agency Notimex, the official reiterated that the Mexican authorities will [continue] to apply immigration law.

"Twenty thousand tourists arrive in Chiapas every year and have no problem because they are tourists, but there are many other foreigners who also arrive in Chiapas as tourists but who want to participate in political activities that the Constitution and immigration laws prohibit", he insisted.