High court in Mexico finds in favor of muckraker

The governor of Puebla state in Mexico, Mario Marin, violated the rights of investigative journalist Lydia Cacho, according to an investigation conducted on behalf of Mexico's Supreme Court. Cacho is the author of an expose that alleged a prominent Mexican businessman, Jean Succar Kuri, was involved in a child sexual exploitation ring. Succar Kuri was arrested in the U.S. and extradited to Mexico in 2006.

In her book, Cacho accused another businessman, Kamel Nacif Borge, of protecting Succar Kuri. Nacif Borge then sued Cacho for defamation in Puebla state, and police officers from that state traveled to the Yucatan peninsula to arrest her. The case burst into the limelight when the newspaper La Jornada released tapes in which Nacif Borge and Gov. Marin purportedly discussed having Cacho arrested and "silenced." In the tapes, Nacif Borge calls Marin "my precious governor," and Marin calls the businessman "my hero" as the two celebrate Cacho's arrest. Cacho was quickly released and has since been honored by several journalist and human rights organizations. The Supreme Court report, released today, said Marin and several Puebla state functionaries conspired to deny the writer her rights.

Posted by Héctor Tobar in Mexico City