Echoes of injustice: The Goyo´s massacre in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, 1958. A comprehensive analysis of the socio-political impact and the quest for Human Rights and Accountability in Mexico

Medel-Ramírez, Carlos (2024): Echoes of injustice: The Goyo´s massacre in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, 1958. A comprehensive analysis of the socio-political impact and the quest for Human Rights and Accountability in Mexico.

Abstract

The document presents an in-depth analysis of a crucial chapter in the history of human rights in Mexico—the 1958 Poza Rica event, often referred to as Goyo's Massacre. This book investigates the harrowing episode that unfolded in the wake of accusations of electoral misconduct, highlighting the severe crackdown on oil workers who were protesting, by the authorities. The book draws on the intellectual frameworks of notable figures such as Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum, and John Rawls to critically analyze the moral and social repercussions of this bleak period. It addresses the restriction of fundamental rights, including civic participation, access to public services, and the guarantee of security, rights from which the victims were deprived. Moreover, it explores the massacre's lasting impact on Mexico's human rights discourse, catalyzing legal and social reforms to address the nation's past and influence global conversations on human rights. Furthermore, the book details the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH)'s strategies for remedying these injustices, including calls for public apologies, maintenance of commemorative sites, initiatives for formal recognition of victims, and psychological assistance for their relatives. It aims to deepen discussions on human rights and justice by providing a comprehensive and morally aware exposition of the Poza Rica Massacre's continuing legacy.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Poza Rica Massacre Human rights violations Historical injustice Mexico's political landscape CNDH investigation
• Subjects: K - Law and Economics > K0 - General > K00 - General; K - Law and Economics > K4 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior > K42 - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law; N - Economic History > N4 - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation > N46 - Latin America ; Caribbean; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O5 - Economywide Country Studies > O54 - Latin America ; Caribbean; Z - Other Special Topics > Z1 - Cultural Economics ; Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology > Z18 - Public Policy

References

Amartya, S. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford University Press. https://kuangaliablog.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/amartya_kumar_sen_development_as_freedombookfi.pdf

Amartya, S. (2021). Nuevo Examen de la Desigualdad. Ed. Alianza Economía. https://pim.udelar.edu.uy/portal/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/08/Sen_Amartya_Nuevo_Examen_de_La_Desiguald.pdf

DeTura, M. (2013). From police to paramilitaries: An analysis of the Mexican “Dirección Federal de Seguridad” (DFS). Esferas: The Undergraduate Student Journal of NYU's Department of Spanish and Portuguese, 1. Retrieved May 6, 2013, from https://wp.nyu.edu/esferas/past-issues/critical/from-police-to-paramilitaries-an-analysis-of-the-mexican-direccion-federal-de-seguridad-dfs/

Gill, "Cancer and Shame of Mexico: Poza Rica de Merino," Protesta Magazine, Mexico City, December 11, 1958.

Libertad Magazine, No. 1, Poza Rica, Veracruz, (n.d). In: National Human Rights Commission. (2023). Recommendation no. 137 VG/2023. Op cit. p. 63

Martínez, J.J. (2020). Adolfo López Mateos, an Institutense and Statesman during His Time at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico. https://revistaidentidad.uaemex.mx/article/view/14201/10811

Morin, E. (1999). Introducción al pensamiento complejo. Gedisa. https://biblioteca.multiversidadreal.com/BB/Biblio/Edgar%20Morin/Introduccion%20al%20pensamiento%20complejo%20%281477%29/Introduccion%20al%20pensamiento%20complejo%20-%20Edgar%20Morin.pdf

Nussbaum, M. (1995). Justicia poética. La imaginación literaria y la vida pública. Ed. Andrés Bello. https://etica.uazuay.edu.ec/sites/etica.uazuay.edu.ec/files/public/2021-09/Nussbaum%20-%20Justicia%20Poetica_0.pdf

Nussbaum, M. (2010) Nonprofit. Why democracy needs the humanities. Ed. Katz. https://repensarlafilosofiaenelipn.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/martha-nussbaum-sin-finesde-lucro.pdf Ramales Osorio, M.C. (2009) Mexico: Electoral fraud, authoritarianism, and repression. From the Welfare State to the Neoliberal State. EUMED. Julio 2009, https://www.eumed.net/rev/cccss/05/mcro.htm

Rawls, J. (2020). Teoría de la Justicia. Ed. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. https://www.pensamientopenal.com.ar/system/files/2019/12/doctrina48358.pdf

Reyna, J. L., & Trejo Delarbre, R. (1981). The working class in the history of Mexico: From Adolfo Ruiz Cortines to Adolfo López Mateos (1952-1964). In Siglo XXI (pp. 7-78).

Román del Valle, M. (2019) Sangre y lucha democrática en Poza Rica (Blood and Democratic Struggle in Poza Rica) Mexico, Códice, 2019.

Smith, B.T. (2018). Sons of the Mexican Revolution: Miguel Alemán and His Generation by Ryan M. Alexander (review). The Americas, 75, 255 - 257. https://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/hm/v68n2/2448-6531-hm-68-02-850.pdf

Vanguardia Veracruz. (2022, 12 de mayo). Aproximación a los medios impresos. Vanguardia de Veracruz. https://vanguardiaveracruz.com/aproximacion-a-los-medios-impresos/

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Institutions

National Human Rights Commission (2023) Press release DGDDH/364/2023 CNDH issues recommendation to various federal authorities and of Veracruz for political violence committed between 1958 and 1966 against the political group “Los Goyos”. Mexico City, December 19, 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.cndh.org.mx/sites/default/files/documentos/2023-12/COM_364_2023.pdf

National Human Rights Commission (2023) Recommendation no. 137VG/2023 On cases of serious human rights violations to freedom, legal security, personal integrity, dignified treatment, and life, due to acts of illegal detention, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, enforced disappearance, and deprivation of life, as well as to the right to democracy, memory, and truth. Mexico City, November 30, 2023. https://www.cndh.org.mx/documento/recomendacion-por-violaciones-graves-137vg2023.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report of March 27, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, on the testimony of Q1, about the events of October 6, 1958.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed record dated March 28, 2023, prepared by the assistant visitor of this National Commission,

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Record of testimony from Q13 and Q14 gathered by personnel of this CNDH.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report dated August 22, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, which accounts for the inspection carried out in the General Archive of the Nation on the records of the Ministry of the Interior, Federal Security Directorate section, of various files, including that of P1.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report dated August 22, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, which accounts for the inspection carried out in the General Archive of the Nation on the records of the Ministry of the Interior, Federal Security Directorate section, of various files, including that of P26.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report dated June 9, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, which accounts for the inspection carried out in the General Archive of the Nation on the records of the Ministry of the Interior, Federal Security Directorate section, of various individuals, including P1.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report dated June 9, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, which accounts for the inspection carried out in the General Archive of the Nation on the records of the Ministry of the Interior, Federal Security Directorate section, of various individuals, including P26.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report dated September 19, 2023

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report dated September 20, 2023

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report dated September 21, 2023

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report dated September 22, 2023

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report dated September 21, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, describing the arbitrary detention of P47 by Army elements on September 27, 1958, in Tuxpan, Veracruz.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report of March 28, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of the National Commission, on the testimony of P32, about the events of October 6, 1958.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed report of March 29, 2023, prepared by the deputy visitor of this National Commission, on the testimony of Q4, regarding their participation in the events of October 6, 1958.

CNDH, Special Office, Case 6979, Detailed report of testimony from Q7 collected by staff of this CNDH.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report of testimony of Q8 collected by staff of this CNDH.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report of testimony from Q9 and Q10 collected by personnel of this CNDH.

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report of testimony from Q11 collected by personnel of this CNDH

CNDH, Special Office, Case No. 6979, Detailed Report of testimony from Q12 collected by personnel of this CNDH

Legislation

Political Constitution of the United Mexican States Constitution published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on February 5, 1917. CURRENT TEXT. Last reform published DOF 01-24-2024. Article 102. Section B. https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf

Chamber of Deputies of the H. Congress of the Union. (2023). Organic Law of the Mexican Army and Air Force. General Secretariat, Secretariat of Parliamentary Services. https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LOEFAM.pdf