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Cause of Mexican Minister's Helicopter Crash Unknown

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 04:02:22 PM EST
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The cause of the helicopter crash today that killed Mexico Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora, the most visible force behind President Calderon's War on Drugs and Mexico's second most important officical, is unknown and under investigation. Some will speculate drug gangs may be responsible, as they did after a similar crash of another Minister a few years ago. The pilots were air force pilots with 20 years experience. This was the first crash of this kind of helicopter, a Super Puma TPH-06 in 6 years. The Mexican Government has six of them.

I saw conflicting reports as to whether Blake Mora was en route to a judicial meeting or a prosecutor's meeting. The answer isn't hard to find. He was headed to a meeting on judicial reform attended by judges and prosecutors.

[More...]

Blake Mora and the seven other persons killed in the crash, just outside Mexico City, were en route to Cuernavaca for the Sixth meeting of the Mexican Association for Administration of Justice, (Asociación Mexicana de Impartidores de Justicia) a relatively new judicial reform organization.

Last year's meeting, the V Asamblea de la Asociación Mexicana de Impartidores de Justicia, was held November 10-11, 2010, and Blake Mora was a featured speaker (video here). Here's a summary of the program.

Via Google Translator from the Association's website:

The criminal justice reform going through a deep crisis and it requires a comprehensive review at the same time allowing an efficient fight against insecurity and impunity, and the full observance of the principles of presumption of innocence, contradiction, concentration, immediacy and an adequate procedural balance between defense, prosecution and victims.

....Its purpose is to promote justice delivery system that requires the country, through the unification of efforts to draft a judicial agenda that includes policies, programs and various actions aimed at achieving a successful judicial reform, and aims general strengthening of institutional capacities of law enforcement agencies in Mexico.

One of its purposes was to make the criminal justice system fairer.

The event was publicized by the Association.

In compliance with the provisions of Article 24, Fraction I of the Bylaws, is summoned to the organs of law enforcement in Mexico, the celebration of the Sixth Ordinary General Assembly of the Mexican Association of Impartidores of Justice, AC held on first call on 11 and November 12, 2011.

The notice for the meeting went out in September.

I hope the plane crash turns out to have been an accident and weather-related. I believe it will.

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    Cause of Mexican Minister's Helicopter Crash Unknown | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    Whenever a controversial political figure ... (none / 0) (#1)
    by cymro on Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 06:04:19 PM EST
    ... dies in such a crash, my first instinct is to suspect foul play.

    In this case, given the Zetas drug cartel's commitment to eliminating any and all opposition -- even to the extent of killing people just for expressing their concerns in online chat rooms -- I am even more suspicious.

    I prefer you not single out any (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 07:33:46 PM EST
    cartel here to blame or link to sites that expose them.

    Parent
    When it comes to helicopters (none / 0) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 06:53:37 PM EST
    foul play is almost never what I first suspect.  Helicopters are no where near as "safe" as fixed wing aircraft.  Here at Fort Rucker, if we go 12 months without a crash that kills someone we are doing very well.  Last year stank.  Too many students and instructors died last year.  My husband calls the orange painted doors on the training helicopters the orange doors of death.

    the funerals are tomorrow (none / 0) (#5)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 07:35:24 PM EST
    it was probably the right decision to cancel.

    Cause of Mexican Minister's Helicopter Crash Unknown | 4 comments (4 topical)

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