The event was held on 4 December 2009 in the Mexico City Chamber of Deputies, with many lawyers and civil society representatives present.

The legal seminar, with the title “Playing at the Supreme Court”, was made up of two panels. Presenters included the lawyers Guillermina Correa González and Braulio Guevara Ontiveros from El Barzón; Gustavo Alejandro Cruz, Director of the Study of Law at the Universidad Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, lawyer Eduardo José Torres Maldonado from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and Maura Benegiamo, a volunteer with the International Alliance of Inhabitants in Mexico.

Los panelistas del Evento

The panellists discussed the problem of non-performing mortgage loans and the role the banks play in the housing problem in Mexico, and reviewed the legal measures taken to help the debtors, evaluating the progress achieved in this respect.

The second panel, chaired by Maura Benegiamo, dealt with the judicial review (amparo ) defence against evictions and human rights’ violations. An open discussion between the panellists and members of the audience considered the knowledge and legal strategies needed to challenge evictions at national and international levels, with particular emphasis on the role of international organisations.

Los participantes al Evento

At the end of the event Cristina Almazán, representative of the Alliance in Mexico, announced the proposal to form an international network of lawyers in support of the housing rights movement. Her proposal was received enthusiastically by the lawyers attending the event. It was also announced that a Latin American regional meeting would be held to address the problem of non-performing mortgage loans transnationally, to confront the problems involved and coordinate responses to the issue.