Mexico and France spar over French woman's conviction

The case of a French woman sentenced by a Mexican court to 60 years in prison for being an accomplice to kidnapping has sparked a diplomatic row between France and Mexico that includes threats to boycott ceremonies for a planned bi-national celebration.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has demanded that Florence Cassez be allowed to serve out her term in a prison in her native country "for humanitarian reasons and because there are international conventions that must be respected."

The case of Cassez broke on December 9, 2005 when a popular live police show broadcast what appeared to be a raid at a house where three hostages had been held by a Mexican and his French girlfriend. Soon after, authorities acknowledged that the raid had been staged with the help of police and reporters. Cassez had been arrested the day before the broadcast.

Lawyers for the French women have asked that the case against her be thrown out because the kidnap victims have changed their stories several times. Nevertheless, the Mexican courts considered that Cassez knew what her boyfriend Israel Vallarta was up to, and charged her with being an accomplice. The sentence and conviction were upheld by a panel of Mexican judges on Thursday. French Foreign Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said that Cassez had been denied justice.

On Monday, Sarkozy announced his decision to go ahead with "the year of Mexico in France" celebrations, but said that all ceremonies would be dedicated to Florence Cassez.

Speech dedication

"At every meeting or every ceremony in which a member of the French government participates, the official will dedicate a part of the speech to remind people of Cassez's problem. I myself intend to do so," he said.

The Mexican government responded saying that it would boycott the event. "In light of statements by President Sarkozy, the Government of Mexico believes that conditions don't exist for the year of Mexico in France to be held in an appropriate manner or that it could achieve the goal that was originally planned," read a statement issued Monday night by Mexico's Foreign Ministry, which added that Cassez has been found guilty and she would not be turned over to French authorities. "Unfortunately, the Mexican government won't participate in the activities," it said.