Bolivia, Mexico agree to mutually protect migrants

The human rights commissions of Bolivia and Mexico have agreed to mutually protect migrants from both countries, Bolivia's Ombudsman Rolando Villena said Wednesday. "Our brothers and sisters who live or temporarily live in Mexico will have our protection and the protection of Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) against any violation of their rights," Villena said at a press conference in La Paz. The same thing will happen in the case of the Mexicans (in Bolivia), whose rights will be protected by the institution, the ombudsman said. Villena said he and Mexico's CNDH President Raul Plascencia signed the agreement in December. The agreement is valid for three years starting the day it was signed. He also noted the negative consequences of immigration, such as human trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation, have reached a global scale. "Through this agreement, we aim to implement the principles of our institutional policy, which holds that no person is illegal, that immigration is a human right and that the full recognition of human rights should become globalized," he added. The agreement also calls for collaboration to consolidate their national institutions to protect and promote human rights worldwide by pooling resources and sharing experience in training personnel in such areas.