The dictionary says immunity is protection against, or exemption from disease and the like and from obligation or penalty. Impunity is freedom from punishment, harm or "unpleasant" consequence. While immunity takes in medical aspects along with legal protection, impunity is just legal. In México, impunity takes on a much harsher connotation. Our leaders preach that no one has impunity from the law. But reality is far different.

     Our elected officials here have immunity from prosecution for almost any offense. The only way they can even be investigated is for the legislature to vote that their immunity lifted. Not an easy task. The only recent action of this sort that came about was the lifting of immunity from the then mayor of DF, México, Andres Manual López Obrador. The case was an obvious trumped-up minor charge (to prevent him from running for the presidency) and he lacked a majority in the DF legislature. The 500,000-person march in his support caused his political enemies to back off. But in the meantime, there are countless obvious refugees from justice maintaining protection from justice by just staying in one office or another.

     Some Mexicans tell me that it would be impossible for politicians to function if they had to worry about frivolous charges brought against them. But these misguided people should look to the North and see how justice can work for the good of the people.

     In the US congress, with their approval rating at about 25%, not only lobbyists at being put in jail for corruption, but members of congress are being prosecuted for corruption. Some are in the slammer right now. While there are some "turf" wars going on about separation of powers (for their own protection), other members are waking up to what the voters really think about them as an institution.

     This point is completely lost on Mexican politicians.

     This is not to say that in the US, there are no protections to prevent frivolous harassment, but the guilty can and are being punished. None of this could ever happen in México, because our elected officials are totally protected by impunity. And their congressional approval rating is even lower than in the US (if that is possible).

     Also note the conviction and future imprisonment of the two top Enron executives.  In recent years, a dozen corporate executives have done or are doing time in the big house for breaking federal financial laws. This even includes the diva, Martha Stewart. The stark message is that lawbreakers will not be tolerated, no matter how powerful they are in the US.

     México should look into these things if they want to start improving public confidence in their government and their financial institutions. (Remember the great bank scandal in 1995? Billions of dollars stolen from the people and no one even prosecuted).  And México is a country that tries so hard to get more foreign investment. I would suggest that we clean up our act in order to get more foreign and national investment going in México.

     Then there is our law enforcement system. See my column titled "San Salvador Atenco . . .  Again", for some recent history of a large police rape and pillage event. The latest reports are that some police carried prophylactics with them for use on the raid.

     The Mexican army has a special niche in the corruption/abuse area. It should be pointed out that in the early formation of México after independence, a pact of sorts between the military and the civil sectors was reached. The civil government would let the army alone and the army would let the civil government alone. A separation of powers that has worked when you consider that Mexico has never had the problem that so many Latin American governments have had with military coups.

     But according to México's own national human rights commission, the Mexican army is responsible, as an organization, for an astounding number of rapes, mainly of our indigenous. These people can't fight back and the army has total impunity. The army's involvement with the dope business is well publicized. Remember the general that was México's first dope war czar? He is now in prison only because he was a national embarrassment.

     For more on the army in México, read "Betrayed, the assassination of Digna Ochoa", by Linda Diebel.

     The bottom line is that México, who complains about how their nationals are treated in the US, should be to look inward as to how México treats its own citizens first. Before we complain, we should make México a good example for the world to see.

     Our voters should think about these things before voting on 2 July.

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Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com/) contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at: R1041643422@aol.com