Position Paper

Delegate: Paola Amaro

School: American School of Puebla
Country: United Mexican States
Committee:
Topic: Animal Rights
The question is not Can they reason? nor Can they talk? but Can they suffer?
Jeremy Bentham. Thank you honorable chair and good evening fellow delegates.
Animals are living beings that have similar necessities just like human beings, but
the problem has originated towards animals since they receive negative treatments
that can physically harm them. That is why animal rights takes the idea that just
like humans, they deserve the possession of their own lives and of their most basic
interests, such as not suffering, and it also states that people should have the
same consideration to animal interests as much as they do towards the interests of
human beings.
The delegation of Mexico established in December 2012 that abuse and cruelty to
animals are criminal offenses. There was made a reform on January 31, 2013 in
which the law provides penalties from 6 months to a maximum of 2 years of prison
to people that cause injuries to animals, and the penalty can increase if those
injuries put in danger the animals life. If a person intentionally causes the death of
an animal, the penalty rises to 2 to 4 years of prison. (BBC, 2013).
Also, in June 2014 politicians of the delegation of Mexico City voted to forbid the
use of animals in circuses. Under this new ban, circuses have one year to phase
out animals in their shows, after which they risk fines up to 700,000 pesos (The
Dodo, 2014). This also happened on Mexican states like Colima, Guerrero,
Guanajuato, Morelos, Quertaro and Puebla (FOX , 2014). Although circuses have
been banned and people that intentionally abuse or kill animals can go to jail, there
is still the controversy of bullfighting being legal in most Mexican states, but
activists are hoping confidently that their anti-bull fighting proposals will become a
law.
As mentioned before, the delegation of Mexico strongly believes in animal rights
and makes the suggestion of creating an international agreement to protect all
kinds of animals, whether they are domestic and wild, and take care of their
habitat.
References:
The Dodo. (June 10, 2014). Mexico City bans animals in circuses, will the
U.S follow? Retrieved October 21, 2014, from: de
www.thedodo.com/mexico-city-bans-animals-in-ci-585297635.html

BBC. (January 31, 2013). New Mexico City law punishes animal cruelty
with jail. Retrieved October 21, 2014, from: www.bbc.com/news/worldlatin-america-21270385
FOX. (July 16, 2014). Mexico City bans use of animals in circus acts.
Retrieved October 18, 2014, from:
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/entertainment/2014/07/16/mexico-citybans-use-animals-in-circus-acts