The National Forum for Peace held in Puebla at the end of the week is a historic watershed of reflection and direction to be taken in Mexico regarding justice and security.
This unique event, organized by the bishops of Mexico, the Jesuits, and the religious, in which more than 1,000 people participated, marked a milestone of hope for new paths of peace and reconciliation in Mexico.
The analysis and proposals of the seeking mothers, academics, indigenous people, migrants, and civil society groups outline the route and agenda that the country, the new government, the Congress, the judiciary, the police, the judges, and prosecutors should continue for a long time. peace road.
In forums and conservatories, 298 practices were concluded to contribute to the security and repair of the social fabric; 1,095 institutions participated: 440 civil society organizations, 224 religious organizations, 164 public institutions at three levels of government, 120 educational institutions, and 33 business organizations.
Experts and society have concluded that the causes of violence and insecurity in Mexico are due to many factors: family crisis, overburdened and corrupt governments, lack of values, poor education, growing poverty, poor income distribution, sexual violence, worsening machismo, globalization of drug production and consumption, low wages, a corrupt and intimidating judiciary, poorly trained and underpaid police, crime-ridden judiciary, territorial control by criminal groups, collusion between government and crime, violence in schools, families, and public spaces, loss of traditions, and less sense of belonging to the community.
In what is considered the structural cause of violence and insecurity in Mexico, poverty, the neighborhood of the United States, and the fact that this country has become the main supplier of weapons to criminals
In the current context, the terrible strategies of the government include the closure of the four Ts to change the course of security policy and cosmetic and economic changes.
The forums and discussions suggest the following route to follow:
1. From communities: personal, family, and community healing processes; a life free of violence for women, girls, and men; promoting peace education in schools; reasonable use of technology; use of public space; and recovery of community assemblies entrusted with the care of social integration programs for migrants; comprehensive programs for addiction care.
2. From the institutions: create inter-institutional work involving civil society to solve justice and security challenges and recover trust in institutions; regarding the security system, it is necessary to restore mutual trust, the articulation of security institutions, the culture of reporting, the identification of legal and institutional gaps, the training of police officers, the recovery of police legitimacy and leadership, and the development of institutional review mechanisms for police forces.
3. Regarding the justice system: listen and provide care, support, and companionship to victims of violence; everyone’s co-responsibility in finding missing persons; establishing restorative justice methods and alternative conflict resolution mechanisms; strengthening opportunities for mediation in communities, schools, and work.
4. Regarding prisons, it is proposed to strengthen social control processes, promote the reunification of offenders, and prioritize reparation agreements.
The consensus of the working groups and the participants of this National Forum is that “there is a road map” of how society and government should work together to relieve Mexico. The road was long, but we started walking, and there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
