MEXICO REQUESTS USG SUPPORT FOR CANDIDACY TO THE

UNCLAS MEXICO 000443 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MX SUBJECT: MEXICO REQUESTS USG SUPPORT FOR CANDIDACY TO THE INTERAMERICAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ¶1. Mexico's Foreign Secretariat (SRE),per diplomatic note 000439 dated January 30, 2009, announced its decision to offer Mr. Jose de Jesus Orozco Henriquez as a candidate to the Interamerican Commission of Human Rights for 2010-2013 in elections to be held during the 39th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OEA) in June 2009. Mexico seeks U.S. support for Orozco's candidacy. ¶2. In the document attached to the note, Mexico provides background information on Orozco. He is a graduate in Law from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) with honors, has a Masters degree in Comparative Law, University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA),and a Doctorate in Law, UNAM. Orozco has been a full-time researcher at UNAM's Legal Research Institute for more than 15 years in the areas of Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Judiciary and Comparative Law. His experience in Human Rights includes 16 consecutive years at the Central Chamber of the Federal Electoral Court (1990-1996) and the Higher Chamber of the Electoral Court of the Federal Judiciary (1996-2006). He is empowered to conduct judicial reviews at a constitutional level. He has distinguished himself by promoting the protection of human rights under the Electoral Court's rulings. Orozco has authored or co-authored eight books, coordinated or edited fourteen books and written over 100 articles in academic journals. ¶2. Action Request: Embassy requests Department guidance on responding to Mexico's appeal for support. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BASSETT