The nation’s lower house (Camara de Diputados) has approved a law that obliges federal authorities to compensate the victims of organized crime up to a maximum of one million pesos.
Passage of the General Victims Law (Ley General de Victimas) is a major victory for poet Javier Sicilia, whose son was killed by a criminal gang in March 2011. Sicilia subsequently led a national campaign against the government’s drug war strategy that culminated in massive marches and a personal audience with President Felipe Calderon.
As well as the financial compensation, the bill provides guarantees for legal and medical assistance to victims of organized crime.
The law will not affect decisions taken within the nation’s judicial system, which can order persons found guilty of crimes to financially compensate their victims.
The law also calls for a national registry of missing persons to be set up and for “official apologies” to be made by the government whenever necessary.