Understand Your Rights. Solve Your Legal Problems
A powerful post by Mexican activist and former legislator Alessandra Rojo de la Vega has reignited international concern over impunity, corruption, and legal accountability in Mexico.
Writing on X, Rojo de la Vega declared a chilling reality for those who challenge the system:
“If Carlos Manzo was killed for defending his people, if Bernardo Bravo was killed for refusing to pay off the criminals, if Homero Gómez was killed for protecting a forest… then in this country, it’s not the criminals who are in danger. We are in danger, those of us who don’t sell out.”
Si a Carlos Manzo lo mataron por defender a su gente, si a Bernardo Bravo lo mataron por negarse a pagarle al crimen, si a Homero Gómez lo mataron por proteger un bosque… entonces en este país no están en peligro los criminales.
Estamos en peligro los que no nos vendemos. pic.twitter.com/U27nDCVqfb
— Alessandra Rojo de la Vega (@AlessandraRdlv) November 4, 2025
The statement, which went viral within hours, has become a rallying cry for those demanding justice in Mexico, a country where environmental defenders, journalists, and community leaders continue to face targeted violence and limited legal protection.
The context of the quote is driven by the fact that those mentioned Manzo and Bravo in Michoacán, and Gómez previously, were all killed after actively challenging the economic and political control of organized crime.
Human rights attorneys and legal scholars say Rojo de la Vega’s message underscores the collapse of faith in Mexico’s legal system.
“Her words are more than social commentary—they’re an indictment of impunity,” said Maureen Meyer, Vice President for Programs at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
“Until the Mexican government begins to address impunity for crimes against human rights defenders and journalists, those looking to silence their critics will continue to feel emboldened to do so.”
Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission reports that over the past decade, dozens of environmental and indigenous rights defenders have been murdered, while conviction rates in such cases remain below 5%.
This near-absolute impunity, legal experts say, is what allows organized crime to target and silence its critics.
U.S. attorneys involved in transnational human rights litigation note that the implications of this crisis extend beyond Mexico’s borders.
“American legal teams working on anti-corruption or human rights cases in Mexico face the same core challenge - impunity,” said Stephen D. Morris, a Professor of Political Science at the University of South Alabama and an expert on Mexican corruption and the rule of law.
"For those in the U.S. concerned about Mexico's stability or investment climate, the problem is simple: you can't have reliable rule of law when prosecution is politically selective or functionally absent."
The killings referenced highlight the 'narco-politics' phenomenon, where criminal groups use violence to seize control over legal exports like avocados and limes, directly affecting global supply chains and economic compliance efforts.
Several advocacy organizations are now urging the U.S. State Department and United Nations to increase oversight and support for investigations involving threats or attacks against civil society leaders.
Rojo de la Vega, a prominent advocate for women’s rights and current mayor-elect of Cuauhtémoc, has previously spoken about threats to her safety.
Her latest post follows the recent assassinations of Mayor Carlos Manzo (gunned down after leading anti-crime security efforts) and lime growers’ representative Bernardo Bravo (murdered after denouncing cartel extortion), each slain after defending their communities or natural resources from criminal exploitation in Michoacán.
Legal experts say her message has renewed calls for:
“Ultimately, what she’s saying is profoundly legal,” Morales added. “It’s about the right to live without fear for upholding justice. When that right collapses, the rule of law itself collapses.”
Why is Alessandra Rojo de la Vega’s post legally significant?
Her statement highlights the failure of Mexico’s justice system to protect citizens who challenge corruption and organized crime—issues at the heart of rule of law and human rights law.
What does this mean for U.S. attorneys working in Mexico?
Cross-border lawyers say impunity in Mexico affects international litigation, human rights advocacy, and compliance efforts tied to U.S. and global anti-corruption laws.
Can international law protect activists in Mexico?
While the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and U.N. mechanisms can apply pressure, legal enforcement ultimately depends on the political will and capacity of domestic prosecutors.
What reforms are experts calling for?
U.S. and Mexican legal experts are urging greater judicial independence, stronger witness protection, and international monitoring of cases involving threats to journalists and activists.
