Mexico Under Spain's Demands

Regarding the arrest of the six Basques and the three Mexicans accused of belonging to ETA (without any solid evidence presented by Spain until today) it is a good idea to read this article (translated to English) appeared at La Jornada back in 1996

LA JORNADA. April 29th, 1996. David Aponte.

THERE IS NO CAMPAIGN TO PURSUE BASQUES RESIDENTS IN MEXICO

"The government of Spain does not have any policy of persecution against resident Basques in Mexico or in any other country, the same way it does not have one single Spanish policeman in Mexican territory who collaborates to find alleged members of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA)", said the ambassador Jose Luis Dicenta Ballester.

The Spanish representative diplomatic considered that Mexico is a model nation of political asylum, and that is not a "sanctuary" of etarras (ETA members), but we should not confuse such right with the due freedom of guarantees of that nature to alleged terrorists. In the same way we can not accuse Spain of violating human rights of Basque politicians, he said.

Dicenta Ballester, lawyer and career diplomatic, complained about the "distortion" and about the "sympathetic treatment" towards the subject of independence of Basque Country, mainly to Spaniards allegedly involved with ETA. The Spanish regime does not torture any more, and the just causes of every Spaniard, including those of the citizens of Euskadi, can be debated "without any fear to any kind of paybacks", he added.

In his office of the Spanish embassy, he spoke to LA JORNADA about the recent detention of four ETA Basques in Mexican territory, saying that it is not a "taboo" subject any more, and mentioning the changes and amendments of the Extradition Treaty between Mexico and Spain.

The ambassador explained that the Extradition Treaty has been modified and updated to adapt it better to some crimes like terrorism, drug traffic, money laundry, arms traffic, and fiscal crimes. All the Estates have to fight against these illegal practices and update their international agreements.

"It is evident, as an example, that while terrorism were considered a political crime, since it was impossible to ask for the extradition of possible terrorists who were charged of terrorism crimes and that were claimed to be extradited by the Spanish State to be jailed for such reasons. Therefore, that is one of the points that was modified substantially in the new Treaty with Mexico".

"Terrorism is no longer considered a political crime. That is the reason there is not political asylum to terrorists any more. And this is not an Spanish sui generis tendency, but part of International Right, very common in the in the whole world, nowadays. The nations are in a closer relationship to finish up with the local and international terrorism".

"Not a country wishes to be sanctuary of any kind of criminals. It is a fact that, to Mexico, will continue to enter citizens of other countries. It is a country, that we the Spaniards, must say loud and clear has had always the door open to political refugees from the Spanish Civil War. We do know that by fact and that is why, the democrats of Spain like us consider Mexico as political asylum heaven".

" But by the same token we do not want to confuse the right of asylum with the freedom of warrantees for possible actors of bloody crimes, including of course terrorism. Spain, today, is a democracy on a 100%, where not only any ideology can be preached and followed, but also where any political goal, including the maximum autonomy, can be attained following the constitution. Through dialog, negotiations, debates. Through the votes in elections, just like the pro-independence political party Herri Batasuna continues to do year after year during the elections periods. Only through that way whatever is coveted can be achieved or at least whatever they can get."

"It can not be achieved any goal in a democratic country like Spain, is through the violence,, blackmail, kidnap, threat, shot in the head, and public mass murders at random. This is a method that any civilized Estate rejects and condemns."

In regard to the extradition of Basques allegedly involved with ETA, Maria Begonia Sanchez Del Arco, Vicente Sagredo Rivas, Koldo Dominguez, and the most recent detention of Andoni Zelaia Otanio, he said that they were expelled from Mexico, because they did not have their paperwork in rule, besides having some dealings with the Spanish justice. In this last case, there is petition for extradition, he added.

"I want to emphasize categorically, specially in my case, in which I have worked and fought for freedom and democracy in my country all my life, that it surprises me the confusion and misunderstandings that people give to the extradition issue, and more specifically in reference to the Basque issue: there is not a special wish to pursue Basques at all. The citizens of Euskadi are considered by the Spanish government as respectable and loved like any other citizen of any other Autonomous Spanish Community. If there is a case where extradition of any Basque has been solicited due to accusations of committing a crime, has nothing to do of being specifically applied to Basques for the fact of being citizens of Euskadi".

"In second place, when I read that these persons are chased with the intention of putting them in jail, torture them, etc. Well, that brings me back to times of the past when there was torture, and yes there was sinister police force, but not in the Spain of today by any means, where we enjoy a full democracy with mechanisms to prevent those things to happen. Of course there could be some exceptional cases, but all in all, Spain can not be accused of being a country where Human Rights are not respected, including those rights of any detainee."

"Therefore, such thing like they are dragged to the airplane to send them in the first flight Mexico-Madrid, and as soon as they arrive there, they are sent to dungeons, and tortured and extorted. That really surprises me, that is not the Spain we live in today, and I believe Mexico knows better because we have been working together during the last 20 years in our diplomatic relationships, bilaterally."

"Mexico and the Mexicans know perfectly what is the situation of the democracy in Spain today, and it is not, by any means that one that certain commentaries in the press portray about criminals, and in addition always from Euskadi. I never see anything like that when the subject is a citizen from Alicante or Palma de Mallorca, but when it comes to a Basque somehow related to politics, the situation is different."

Dicenta mentioned that the struggle put up by the Basques against Franco was well received by the majority of Spaniards. But since the implantation of democracy, ETA's violence has represented a serious obstacle for the development of Euskadi and a burden to the machinery of the Autonomous Community of Basque Country. "The crimes of ETA do not do any good, on the contrary they make it harder to progress economically, politically, and socially in this region."

"At the present time, I do not understand that there could be some remnants from the past in this issue. This mentality should be updated and recognize that the situation in Spain has changed since the last 20 years, there is no repression, but a total democracy and freedom since 20 years ago."

"It surprises me the sympathetic treatment, a sympathy treatment they receive because they are fighters for a just cause against a regime who continues to torture. Well, let me tell you, the actual regime does not practice torture any more, and the just causes so coveted can be discussed in the congress of representatives with no problem of fear to adverse consequences whatsoever."

The Spanish diplomatic stated that the subject of ETA is no longer a taboo. "It is good to discuss about it and let the public Mexican opinion the real image of why an ETA militant can be extradited. We should take it as something coherent, is just like if a man put bombs in a VIPS (kind of Dennys in USA) of Mexico killing 14 people and goes to Spain to seek asylum, it should be possible to extradite such person to Mexico to be punished by the Mexican justice."

Interviewer:

Some of the Basque detainees, accused of having relationships to ETA, have talked about the participation of the Spanish police in Mexico. What is the level of cooperation between the Mexican and Spanish police?

Dicenta:

The level is excellent. We have a very good relationship with Mexico in all fields: commercials, cultural, security services, among the armed forces...

Interviewer:

The specific question would be: Do Spanish police act in Mexico?

Dicenta:

No, no, no. One thing is the fact that there are good relationship in regard of exchange of information, but police here, there is none, there is non, and it can not be Spanish police....The extradition subject is not a fun matter for any country, is a very delicate and complex theme. But we have to face reality.

Reports say that Spanish secret services officers did take place in the arrests of the nine individuals a few days ago.

Does Dicenta remind you of Ruperez?

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