Thursday, March 02, 2006

Humberto's story

Humberto Alvarez Machain - or should I say Dr. Alvarez - is a medical doctor who is a Mexican and was residing in Guadalajara, Mexico.

On April the 2nd, 1990, while Dr. Alvarez was in his medical office, men came and took him by force. Dr. Alverez was then forced onto a plane which flew him into US territory. Upon disembarking the plane, Dr. Alvarez was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials to be tried for the crimes he had allegedly committed!

Not surprisingly, Dr. Alvarez challenged the way he was abducted and forcibly brought to the US. The Supreme Court of the US found that while Dr. Alvarez '...may be correct that his abduction was "shocking" and in violation of general international law principles', nevertheless the decision on whether he should be returned to Mexico is one that should be left to the US government to make.

Dr. Alvarez was not returned to Mexico.

Outraged?

Would you feel any differently if it is said the DEA believed that Dr. Alvarez participated in the murder of DEA special agent Enrique Camarena Salazar by prolonging agent Camarena's life so that others could further torture and interrogate him?

You can read the Supreme Court's opinion here.

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