JURIST - Paper Chase: Mexico prosecutor makes second bid to arrest ex-president for student massacre

[JURIST] Mexican prosecutor Ignacio Carrillo has made a second bid to arrest former Mexican president Luis Echeverria [Wikipedia profile] in connection with killings of student protesters, according to a statement made Monday by Echeverria's lawyer. Dozens of students and other civilians were killed on October 2, 1968 when police and military officials opened fire on them during a protest. Activists put the death toll at up to 350, while officials say the number was 25. Carrillo has already tried to have Echeverria arrested for a 1971 student massacre [JURIST report], but a court rejected his efforts in July, saying there was insufficient evidence. In a separate attempt to prosecute Echeverria, the Mexican Supreme Court dismissed genocide charges against Echeverria [JURIST report] early last year, ruling that international law against genocide does not take precedence over Mexico's national 30-year statute of limitations. At the time of the 1968 killings, Echeverria was the interior secretary for Mexico, but later served as president from 1970-1976. In addition to the investigation into the two student massacres, Carrillo is also investigating guerrillas who went missing during Mexico's dirty war in the 1970s and 1980s. AP has more.

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