Bilingual Newsletter
13 years of Searching for Justice.
Lieutenant Miguel Orlando Muñoz Guzmán’s Disappearance.
The following is an interview granted by Miguel Orlando’s family
during their visit in Washington, D.C.
Not
only do the deaths of women tarnish the image of the Mexican city of Juárez,
but also the disappearance of soldier Miguel Orlando Muñoz Guzmán
demonstrates the flaw in the state of rights and justice in this region
of Mexico.
Miguel Orlando disappeared on 8th May, 1993 at the age of 25 in a military
quater of the before mentioned city. The family alleged that there are soldiers
involved in the disappearance and that Miguel Orlando supposedly discovered
them in a connection with drug trafficking.
After 13 years of pursuing the truth about the disappearance of Miguel Orlando, the Muñoz Guzmán family refuses to give up the fight and allow impunity to triumph, while continue to search the whereabouts of their loved one.
During the week of 5th April, part of the family went to Washington D.C. and met up with Parliament’s authorities and members of A. I. USA in order to keep on directing their efforts into Officer Muñoz Guzman’s search. Recently, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights determined that there was no ‘forced disappearance”, yet that some irregularities did occur during the investigation. In spite of the strong impact that the resolution has caused on the family, they insist on “forced disappearance” and state that they will no stop pursuing the truth until Miguel Orlando’s causes and whereabouts are clarified.
Mrs. Guzmán, tell me about the last time you talked to your son before his disappearance. What did you perceive in Miguel Orlando’s voice?
The last time I talked to him was on 8th May, 1993. He was very happy, he was glad because the army was his fondest wish; he wanted to become a soldier since he was very young. That day he was very pleased because he had received a notification telling him that he had been accepted in the War Academy.
He had been at home a month before his disappearance. I warned him: “Take good care because this area is really dangerous”, (Juárez city). And he answered: “don’t worry mom, it’s all right as long as you don’t get involved with them. The worst danger is the army itself”.
Guadalupe, why was the army’s version about your brother having possibly deserted disqualified?
8th May, 1993 was the last day we had contact with our brother, the last day he was seen alive. Different people stated that they saw him that day in the military precinct, and there is only one officer who asserts that my brother left the battalion. That is to say, we have four statements against one.
When we were told that my brother had left the battalion and that he had deserted, we dismissed that possibility, simply because he attended the War Academy, that is, he was about to be promoted to the rank of Second Captain. My brother was with us during mid-March and the beginning of April on vacation in Jalisco, Mexico. If my brother had planned on leaving, or desertion, he would not have returned to the Academy.
The battalion commander tried to file an official letter that read, “Yes, he did desert; he is a two-faced person, he told his family that he was going to attend the War Academy, but he gave me an official letter in person stating that he withdrew his intention of entering the War Academy due to family problems.” We deny the authenticity of that official letter. An expert report was requested to the military law attorney who appointed military experts in order to establish the truthfulness of the letter, and they determined that the signature had been forged. However, the culprits were never sanctioned.
These facts lead us to suspect the battalion commander due to his statement that assures that my brother hand-delivered him this official letter. We also suspected the commander because he said that my brother had deserted.
Another important fact is that my father and my brother reported in the battalion to request Miguel Orlando’s belongings, and among other things there was a briefcase. This briefcase was really important because my brother kept in it a diary in which he took down the details of his life in the battalion. If his family read it, they would be able to establish what really happened. However, this briefcase was declared lost, even though a group of soldiers had asserted that the briefcase actually existed.
It has been said that Miguel Orlando discovered a connection between certain soldiers and drug trafficking and that the cause of his disappearance lies in that. What are these arguments based on?
The commander of the Area in the State of Chihuahua, Luis Montiel Lopez, met privately with my brother twice. The first time was in November, 1992; and the second, 15 days before his disappearance. During the first meeting, commander Montiel López supposedly told my brother that “if he kept on meddling in that crap, he would end screwed up.” This statement was given by an officer before the public ministry. After that, Commander Pedro Gutierrez Lopez states that Montiel López met up in private with my brother fifteen days before his disappearance.
There is a letter that my father left during his lifetime stating the zone commander and the battalion commander are narco-militants. This information was told to him by officials. These officials supposedly reported that my brother had been clandestinely moved from the facilities of the 26th battalion to military camp number one on 9th May. The goal of the move was to prevent my brother from getting to the War Academy, preventing him from denouncing what he had found out.
How is the case going nowadays?
Military authorities never wanted to forward evidence to the Inter-American Commission. Therefore, “forced disappearance” could never be determined. Nevertheless, irregularities have been acknowledged by both the government and the Inter-American Commission. That is very important for the family because acknowledgment has been accepted. The Inter-American Commission has also admitted that my brother never left the battalion.
So, has the case been closed?
There is a recommendation to the Mexican government to investigate these events in a timely manner, so that they can show results to be able to determine my brother’s whereabouts, and once it is proven that there was a disappearance, those responsible can be punished and brought to justice. For us, the recognition of a forced disappearance has meant thirteen years of fight.
Tell me the reason why you are in Washington, what is your relation with Amnesty International?
Since 1994 Amnesty International has adopted the case as a forced disappearance,
from then onwards Amnesty International has been supporting us from London.
Diego Zavala, who is the expert in the United States for Mexico, has worked
on the case and AIUSA has taken up the case to promote it again. Your support
means a lot for us because if we see the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights issued a resolution in which the Mexican government has been neglectful
in this investigation, then the Mexican government will be under pressure
to comply with the recommendations. Furthermore, if there is pressure from
organizations such as Amnesty International, the Mexican government must
give a response.
By Isabel M. Long.