Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Trustee Francisco Sánchez Peña has formally proposed the creation of a Municipal Human Rights Commission, accompanied by a fully fleshed-out regulatory framework and an open public call for applicants to serve as municipal coordinator of human rights for the 2024–2027 administration. If approved, the new commission would serve as a guarantor body charged with defending human rights at the municipal level and strengthening ties between citizens and their City Council.
Under Sánchez Peña’s proposal, the Municipal Human Rights Commission would be endowed with expanded investigative and advisory powers, enabling it to receive complaints, conduct inquiries into alleged rights violations, and issue recommendations to both the City Council and municipal agencies. The proposal also outlines clear procedures for the commission’s internal governance, budgetary autonomy, and mechanisms to ensure transparency and citizen participation in its decision-making processes.
In addition to establishing the commission and its regulations, the proposal calls for launching an open public recruitment process to fill the position of municipal coordinator of human rights. Applicants would be evaluated based on professional credentials in human rights advocacy, legal expertise, and demonstrated commitment to community outreach. The selected coordinator would serve as the primary liaison between citizens filing human rights complaints and the commission itself, ensuring that allegations of misconduct by municipal officials are addressed promptly and impartially.
Before moving forward, Sánchez Peña’s proposals will undergo detailed scrutiny by three key municipal committees: Constitutional Affairs and Regulations; Justice and the Rule of Law; and Human Rights. These committees will analyze the legal viability of the regulations, assess the proposed budgetary allocations, and issue recommendations or rulings. Their input will be critical to refining the commission’s mandate and ensuring it aligns with both state and federal human rights legislation.
Supporters argue that the creation of a dedicated Municipal Human Rights Commission fills a longstanding gap in local governance by providing an accessible, citizen-centered forum for accountability. “This commission will not only safeguard individual rights but also foster greater trust between residents and their municipal institutions,” Sánchez Peña said at a recent council session.
Once established, the Municipal Human Rights Coordination office—already existing within City Hall as the initial contact point for human rights concerns—would operate under the new commission’s umbrella. Citizens would be able to report any actions or omissions by municipal officials that could constitute human rights violations, from procedural irregularities in public services to alleged abuses of authority.
If the committees grant their approval, the full City Council is expected to debate and vote on the measure in the coming weeks. Proponents are optimistic that, with broad civic engagement and legislative support, the commission could be fully operational by the start of the next administrative term in late 2024.
Meta Description: Trustee Francisco Sánchez Peña has proposed establishing a Municipal Human Rights Commission, complete with its regulations and an open public call for a human rights coordinator for the 2024–2027 administration, to strengthen local human rights protection and citizen engagement.
