Foreign Policy Blogs

Justice and Tourism: Canadian deaths in Mexico

Contributed by Rich Basas of FPA's Migration Blog: 

W-FIVE, A well known Canadian Investigative journalism program recently aired a report concerning the deaths of Dominic and Nancy Iannero, a Canadian couple who were murdered in their resort hotel room last year. The couple was in Mexico to celebrate the wedding of their son, but had their throats slashed by a still unknown attacker/s.

While W-FIVE suggests a hotel employee as being the best suspect and Canada's most famous criminal lawyer assisting the Iannero family in their cause, the local Mexican investigators have all but closed the investigation. The impression in Mexico is that the suspects are likely Canadians, disregarding the Iannero's evidence as an attempt to discredit local authorities and embarrass the local tourist industry.

The report goes on to outline their reasons why to this date no one has been charged formally for the crime. Many in Canada believe that the local Mexican officials have tried to cover up the murder completely in order to salvage the local tourism industry, which is the breadbasket of much of Mexico's economy. The case is seen as a failure to protect Canadians abroad by local governments as well as the Canadian government itself. Despite the Iannero case and cases of other Canadians killed in Mexico over the last year, there still seems to be a heavy Canadian tourist presence in Mexico.

For more information on the Iannero Report:
W-FIVE Special Report (CTV)
History of the Iannero Case (CBC)
Canadian Impressions of Security in Mexico (securitycornermexico.com)

 

Author

Richard Basas

Richard Basas, a Canadian Masters Level Law student educated in Spain, England, and Canada (U of London MA 2003 LL.M., 2007), has worked researching for CSIS and as a Reporter for the Latin America Advisor. He went on to study his MA in Latin American Political Economy in London with the University of London and LSE. Subsequently, Rich followed his career into Law focusing mostly on International Commerce and EU-Americas issues. He has worked for many commercial and legal organisations as well as within the Refugee Protection Community in Toronto, Canada, representing detained non-status indivduals residing in Canada. Rich will go on to study his PhD in International Law.

Areas of Focus:
Law; Economics and Commerce; Americas; Europe; Refugees; Immigration

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