Lucio R Borderland Beat
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My cousin lived in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia for 6 years. She has convinced me to the probable innocence of these men, that they were forced into working for the drug ring (cleaning the factory). How it was explained to me is, recruiters in places like Mexico, Philippines and other places of poverty, that head hunters recruit men and women, lured by promises of high paying employment and training. Once overseas, they are sold into servitude, working in the sex and drug trade or even domestic work. Their passports are taken away, and they are held hostage. In this case the brothers had no criminal record. The recruiter was also arrested but hired an attorney firm that was able to get him out of the charges and allowed to quickly return to Mexico. Leaving the brothers to take the fall. Read background of the story link here
From the Malaysian Insider
The government of Mexico plans to rally support from death penalty opponents to dissuade Malaysia from executing three Mexican brothers convicted on drug charges.
Mexico “will turn to various local and international groups opposed to the death penalty,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Malaysia’s Federal Court on Thursday upheld the death sentences imposed on Luis Alfonso, Simon and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal.
The three men heard the court’s decision accompanied by relatives and Mexico’s ambassador to Malaysia, Carlos Felix.
“We are in the final part of the judicial process. Today was a very serious setback,” Felix told Mexico City’s Radio Formula, adding that the defence team was considering filing a request for reconsideration by the Federal Court.
Once legal remedies are exhausted, the men’s only hope of avoiding the noose would be a royal pardon.
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| The father stands in the brick yard where his sons and family work |
Felix said that the sultan of Johor, where the men were convicted, could substitute a prison sentence for the death penalty on “strictly humanitarian grounds”.
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy where traditional monarchs in the Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy where traditional monarchs in the country’s various regions retain certain powers.
Malaysian jurisprudence offers no precedents for a case like this one, and the process could grind on for another two years, the ambassador said.
“They won’t hang them in the next few days,” said Felix, who has visited the three brothers monthly since his arrival in Malaysia 18 months ago.
Mexico “maintains a position contrary to the death penalty” and will continue providing consular assistance to the Gonzalez Villarreal brothers, the foreign ministry said.
The three Mexicans testified at their May 2012 trial that they were merely cleaning the clandestine drug-making factory where they were detained.
The brothers were arrested and have been in prison since 2008.
None of the brothers has a criminal record in Mexico. – Bernama, April 24, 2015.