November 8, 2001

Today, in the exercise of the attributions that our legal system confers to the President, I ordered the necessary measures for the immediate release of Rodolfo Montiel Flores and Teodoro Cabrera Garcia, arrested on May 2, 1999 in Pizotla, Guerrero. Mr. Montiel Flores and Mr. Cabrera Garcia are now free.

Since December 1, my government showed interest in this issue attending numerous petitions from national and international human rights organizations. Therefore, the government assigned the case to a group of lawyers that will permanently bring support and legal council in defense of both accused.

Taking in consideration the petitions from many national social organizations, such as the Ecologists Organization of Sierra de Petatlán, Coyuca de Catalan, and the Center of Human Rights Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez; the opinions of the United Nations' Workgroup of Arbitrary Detention and the health condition of the indicted prisoners. I gave instructions to make possible their release based on the stipulations in article 75 of the Federal Code of Conduct.

This decision of the federal government fully complies with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the International Treaty of Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture. All of them subscribed and ratified by the Mexican Government.

By taking these actions, we hope to show that my government is dedicated to the promotion and observation of human rights in the nation.

Translated from Spanish by Daniel Castillo on November 8, 2001.