Abstract

LOPEZ BETANCOURT, Eduardo  and  FONSECA LUJAN, Roberto Carlos. Expansion of victims' rights in the Mexican criminal process: Between demagogy and impunity. Rev. Crim. [online]. 2016, vol.58, n.2, pp.209-222. ISSN 1794-3108.

The objective is to provide a discussion about the rights to truth, justice and integral redress or compensation for victims of crimes in the "Ley General de Victimas" (the General Victims' Law) recently passed in Mexico. The method suggests a brief review of the enhancement of the victim's status in the criminal proceeding that, in the Mexican case, has been a normative path finally concretized in this regulation or order providing an expanded catalogue of rights among which there are new claims for truth, justice and full reparation. These are analyzed in contrast with the rights of the accused, particularly with aspects framed within the concept of presumption of innocence and the right of defense. The result of this discussion suggests that the expansion of victims' rights within the criminal proceeding has led to the recognition of prerogatives that can hardly become eff ective within the framework of a criminal proceeding like the Latin American process, where the structural lines and minimal guaranties were created for the protection of the rights of the accused.

Keywords : Victim, victimology; human rights; procedural guarantees; criminal process; criminal proceeding.

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