Mexican Criminal Code

Question 1

What is the MCC

Answer 1

The Mexican criminal code was completed in 1871 and took 10 years to complete, was the first domestic criminal code to criminalize the laws of war - it incorporated laws of war from the international humanitarian law

Question 2

What was article 1139?

Answer 2

“violations of duties of humanity” - criminalized violations of customs and laws of war, laws of nations, and duties of humanity

Question 3

Who was Benito Juarez?

Answer 3

Leader of liberal reform in Mexico (Reforma movement), he commissioned the MCC

Question 4

Who was Antonio Martínez de Castro?

Answer 4

led project of creating MCC which was completed in 1871

Question 5

Who was Maximilian of Hasburg?

Answer 5

emperor, tried for war crimes and executed in 1867

Question 6

why was Vattel cited in Maximilians trial in 1867?

Answer 6

Vattel was cited so that it could be stated that as a violator of the law (war and humanity), Maximilian could be executed - he was tried after French withdrawal in 1867

Question 7

what was the French intervention?

Answer 7

1862-1867 Napoleon III intervened in Mexico with goal of establishing a euro-style monarchy

Question 8

what happened between 1862-1867

Answer 8

French intervention

Question 9

What happened in 1867?

Answer 9

execution of Maximilian

Question 10

Who was Emer de Vattel?

Answer 10

legal thinker, wrote the law of nations, cited in Max’s trial

Question 11

How did MCC differ from the Lieber code?

Answer 11

MCC- criminal law- protects against invaders
lieber code - military orders, used by occupiers -
essentially, two opposite legal prospectives

3 key ways:
-applicability of domestic law
-severity of punishments
-granting of combatant immunity to rebels - punishment of those who resist the army

Question 12

what was the lieber code?

Answer 12

USA Military code

Question 13

what concept justified including war crimes in international law?

Answer 13

criminal law protects most fundamental values -
-humanity
-diplomatic immunity
-anti-slavery
-sovereignty

Question 14

What did Benito Juarez believe about religion and politics?

Answer 14

that religion had no place in politics

Question 15

What key idea did Benito Juarez push/why did Juarez commission the MCC

Answer 15

believed that in order to be taken seriously by “civilized Nations” and gain respect, all must abide by law to gain respect- encouraged this, and commissioned MCC to codify - to be viewed as equal with western powers”

Question 16

What was Mexicos goal through codification?

Answer 16

Assert sovereignty and gain international recognition by aligning with universal legal standards