Meanwhile, also in Mexico, a group of women who were reportedly kidnapped, tortured and raped by Mexican police officers 10 years ago have now taken their case to the Inter-American Human Rights Court. The events occurred in San Salvador Atenco in the state of México. The women were kidnapped amid two days of popular protests in May 2006, after police cracked down on a group of female flower sellers. The current president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, was the governor of the state of México at the time. This is Bárbara Méndez, a survivor of the sexual torture.
Bárbara Méndez: “During the detention and during transportation, I was tortured physically, psychologically and sexually. I was caught up in the penal process for more than two-and-a-half years. It was a very heartbreaking experience, and it has left a big impact on my life, to be detained and tortured under those conditions.”