Havana, Cuba. - “La Jornada” newspaper published an article with official data on food security in Mexico. It shows the critical situation for Aztecs in the New Year’s Eve.

The publication points out that around 49 million Mexicans, 45.8 % of the population, have to deal with some degree of food insecurity.

23 millions have serious problems of access to food. In other words, they could not eat some day or skipped some meal because they could not afford it.

The current economic crisis is having a serious impact on Mexico. As a result, more people faces food insecurity than the percentage reported by that newspaper in last July, which was based just on individual revenues.

According to that report, 3, 5 million people joined the ranks of those who could not pay for their food last year.

This critical situation happens in spite of the fact that the laws of that country provide for the Right to Food, meaning that every individual should enjoy physical and economic access to food. Italian agency ANSA reported from the Aztec country that nearly a million Mexicans who live in the United States returned to their nation to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve with their families. They had to part with 2 to 3% of the money they brought, because they were “extorted” by customs agents and police officers.

The “bribes” that Mexicans are forced to pay to corrupt officers are in excess of 1 000 million pesos (about $ 75 millions), according to a study of the House of Representatives.

Police agents and customs officers threaten immigrants with enforcing nonexistent laws, so that they are forced to give them some money.

According to ANSA’s report, the average of each extortion ranges from $ 50 to 100. Every immigrant is stopped at least seven times along the way, after crossing US border.

Both news, that of food insecurity and the other one on corruption and civic insecurity, are part of the New Year’s Eve atmosphere in Mexico.

Translated by: Pedro A. Fanego

( 03.12.2009 10:13 AM )