Mexican government charges against academics criticized

Mexico has so many criminals to deal with that critics are openly wondering why the government has sought to lock up 31 academics, professors and researchers in the country's top maximum security prison

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico has so many drug lords to deal with that critics openly wondered Wednesday why the government has instead sought to lock up 31 academics, professors and scientists in the country’s harshest maximum security prison.

The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has charged the university professors with violating a law that prevents members of an advisory board from receiving money from a government science fund.

But that law was passed in 2019, and the scientists got the $2.5 million years earlier when it was legal. The money was meant to be used to promote scientific discussions, and those involved have denied the funds were illegal or misused.

A judge at the Altiplano prison denied prosecutors’ request for arrest warrants against the academics Wednesday. But the whole episode lent heft to accusations that López Obrador’s government has sought to politicize academic life in Mexico.