Mexican radicals seize embassies

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 8

Mexican radicals seize embassies

NZPA-Reuter Mexico City About two dozen Leftwingers have occupied the Danish and Belgian embassies in Mexico City to press for the release of alleged political detainees in Mexico.

Groups from the Independent National Committee for the Defence of Political Prisoners entered the two missions soon after they opened for the day and demanded that the Belgian and Danish Governments take up their case with the Mexican authorities. Spokesmen, for tire two missions said the occupation was peaceful and embassy personnel were allowed to come and go. The leader of the Lefists’ organisation, a former university rector, Felipe Martinez Soriano, told reporters that he wanted freedom for 120 alleged political de-

tainees and information on 600 missing people. A Belgian spokesman said Ambassador Ronald Watteuw, who heads a staff of

five, was in touch with the Mexican authorities, and inside the building with 16 embassy employees.

A spokesman for the.occu- ■ piers said earlier that 17 of > his organisation’s members • were inside the -Belgian Embassy and several more in the Danish mission. The prisoners’ defence committee is a branch of the

Left-wing National Democratic Popular Front grouping. Mexico has vigorously denied that it holds any political prisoners or that there have been any unaccountable disappearances. Mr Soriano told reporters that Leftists would remain in the embassies until the Government gave a satisfactory answer, or at least agreed to talks with his organisation. In San Salvador, Leftwingers have ended their two-week occupation of the Spanish Embassy and freed their last two hostages. Militants of the Popular

League of February 28 (L.P.28)' seized the embassy on February 5 to demand the release of several jailed followers.

The L.P.-28 also seized the Panamanian Embassy in San Salvador last Wednesday but vacated it the next day.