Mexico frees activists accused of migrant trafficking

MEXICO CITY – Mexican officials say two jailed immigration activists have been set free due to lack of evidence following accusations of migrant trafficking.

Irineo Mújica, director of the non-profit group Pueblos Sin Fronteras, and fellow activist Cristóbal Sánchez celebrated Wednesday’s decision in the southern border city of Tapachula.

They contend the government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopéz Obrador fabricated the charges when it arrested them June 5.

Sánchez said that “we’re the first political prisoners in the ‘fourth transformation.” That’s an allusion to a term López Obrador uses to signify drastic changes envisioned by his government.

Critics say the activists’ arrests were used to placate Washington, a claim Mexico’s president denied.

López Obrador said last week: “We don’t act against anyone to stay on the good side of a foreign government.”