Mexico honors activist

President Fox honored Olga Sánchez Martínez for helping Central Americans who cross illegally into Mexico on their way towards the United States:

Mexico, which often complains about the treatment by U.S. authorities of its undocumented citizens who cross the border northbound, eloquently acknowledged Monday that its officials are often cruel, arbitrary and abusive with Central Americans entering from the south.

The admission came as Olga Sánchez Martínez, an activist on behalf of the Central Americans who cross Mexico en route to the United States, was honored by President Vicente Fox with the 2004 National Prize for Human Rights.

"We cannot demand respectful treatment of our compatriots from our neighbor to the north if we are not prepared to grant it to those who come from the south," said José Luis Soberanes, head of the governmental National Commission on Human Rights, in making the presentation.

Sánchez was recognized for her efforts as the director of a shelter for immigrants in the southern state of Chiapas, which borders Guatemala. The prize she received Monday consists of a medal, a certificate and 250,000 pesos (about US22,000) in cash.