The diplomatic conflict between Mexico and France is growing as a result of the now called “affaire-Cassez” by the French press.
Last Monday, president Nicolas Sarkozy announced that the cultural events framed in the “Year of Mexico” celebrations in France would be held, but all of them would be dedicated to Florence Cassez –the French citizen sentenced to a 60-year term of prison in Mexico because her alleged involvement in kidnappings.
Then, the Mexican government responded ‘yes, but no, thanks’.
Mexican Ambassador in France, Carlos de Icaza said that if the “Year of Mexico” celebrations would be dedicated to a person that has been judged and sentenced because of serious criminal charges, it would be impossible to participate in them.
The Mexican government insists that Cassez’s responsibility in a series of kidnappings was plenty demonstrated during the judicial process, while the French government sustains that too many irregularities in the trial led to an unfair and undeserved sentence.
The “Year of Mexico” events were inaugurated Feb. 3 at the Musée d’Orsay, with the purpose of celebrating the long-term relationship and collaboration between Mexico and France. The celebration was going to include more than 350 artistic and cultural events, science and education activities, as well as displays of Mexico’s gastronomy and touristic attractions.
In an interview with Diario Milenio, several Mexican artists deplored the fact that the politics around a criminal case affected the cultural exhibition.
“It is offensive for our country to dedicate these cultural events to a woman who is imprisoned because of kidnapping,” said writer Elmer Mendoza. “I think there is a brutal criticism on our justice administration system and it is true that Mexico has a very bad ranking in this topic, but the French government just cross the line”.
What it is a fact is that the French government has given Cassez’s case the status of a state issue. Because of that, the case will be bring to the table during the Group of 20 summit this weekend in Paris, in which the participant countries are scheduled to discuss an international monetary system reform. After that it wouldn’t be a surprise that all the following talks and discussions between Mexico and France –either to discuss cultural events, science or tourism issues– will be tarnished by Cassez’s case.
In other words, if the art of diplomacy doesn’t success, a criminal case will be setting the terms of the bilateral agenda among the countries at least for the following months.
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