Assault on defender of Pasta de Conchos families

MEXICO: At around 19.30 on 19 June, Dr Cristina Auerbach Benavides, a member of the Mexican Pastoral for Workers, which supports the struggle of the families of the miners who died in the Pasta de Conchos tragedy, was the victim of an assault outside her home. After returning from the bus terminal in the north of Mexico City, where she left Pasta de Conchos families from Nueva Rosita and Palaú in Coahuila state, who were on their way home from a protest outside the Grupo México offices, Dr Cristina Auerbach Benavides was dragged from her car by armed men. They then drove the car away, taking personal property (identity cards, credit and bank cards, a Nextel, a micro-insulin injector, a key-ring with all her keys), important documents on the Pasta de Conchos case and a memory stick (USB) with copies of the Pasta de Conchos dossier. No jewels or other valuable objects were stolen even though the attackers could easily have done so. As they drove away, they were escorted by a silver Ford Focus. During the last two months, Dr Auerbach has been followed by a black Expedition van, a gold Focus and a silver Focus. In recent months, the families of miners who lost their lives in the Pasta de Conchos tragedy have been fighting against Minera México's suspension of the operation to recover their bodies, the sacking of most of the workers by the contractor, General de Hulla and the failure of the Secretary for Labour and Social Welfare to respect agreements with them about the recovery of the bodies. The Pastoral for Workers and the Diocesan Centre for Human Rights have denounced the attack on Cristina Auerbach and are taking urgent action to ensure that it does not go unpunished. The regional IMF office has written to the President of Mexico, calling for an investigation and the punishment of those responsible for the attack.