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Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has launched an investigation into alleged police abuses committed during a massive protest for access to clean water in Guadalajara (west), which ended with dozens of arrests and reports of torture, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Thursday.
"The National Human Rights Commission, as I requested yesterday, is already conducting its investigations," the president stated during her morning press conference, one day after demanding that the attacks against the young protesters be clarified.
The Mexican leader specified that the inquiries cover everything from the use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse the mobilization, to the arrests of young people who were reportedly beaten by police officers.
Sheinbaum added that the Ministry of the Interior is supporting the investigations within the scope of its powers, although she did not offer details regarding potential those responsible or progress in the inquiries.
The protest took place last Sunday, October 11, in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, where thousands of people took to the streets to demand solutions to the poor quality of water they receive in their homes, a problem that has affected numerous neighborhoods in the metropolitan area for months.
The mobilization ended in clashes in front of the official residence of Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus, where riot police used tear gas and high-pressure water cannons against protesters.
State authorities initially reported 39 detainees, who were later released, although some remain subject to legal proceedings. Human rights organizations denounced arbitrary arrests, assaults, and alleged acts of torture.
Lemus acknowledged that "serious errors" were committed during the operation, admitted the use of excessive force, and announced internal investigations to determine responsibility.
Regarding the supply crisis, the president reported that she held a meeting on Wednesday with the National Water Commission (Conagua), which presented two technical projects to address supply problems in Jalisco.
She also explained that she requested an additional review of the proposals before discussing them with the governor and defining what resources the federal government could provide.
"I hope that this week we will have the full analysis and that we will be able to provide information to the residents of Jalisco," she noted.
The water crisis in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, has triggered protests over the deterioration of supply quality, as residents demand solutions regarding the arrival of cloudy, foul-smelling water to their homes.
[Publicidad]