General Ricardo Trevilla, head of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) of Mexico, stated during the morning conference of President Claudia Sheinbaum that the Mexican Army "systematically" respects human rights in the country. In his statements, the general mentioned that human rights are not violated, as on many occasions military personnel provide first aid or evacuate injured individuals to nearby hospital facilities.
Trevilla highlighted that any irregularities committed by any military personnel are immediately reported to the relevant Sedena bodies and to the prosecutors, following the instructions to act according to the law and avoid impunity, as ordered by the president. The Mexican Army has been subject to constant questioning regarding the legality of its actions.
One of the recent events that generated controversy was the massacre of migrants in Chiapas on October 2, one day after the start of Sheinbaum's government, where military personnel fired and killed six unarmed individuals. The National Guard, incorporated into Sedena, has also faced criticism from human rights defenders, accused of involvement in murders and violations of international law since its establishment in the previous government.
Both Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum have been criticized by opposition groups for promoting militarization in Mexico by assigning the Army security tasks typically belonging to the police, integrating the National Guard into Sedena, and giving military personnel responsibilities in airports, ports, and even the construction of road infrastructure.
