Overview
- The government notified RCU Sistemas that its contract will be terminated, a step officials confirmed on Friday after receiving repeated complaints from people protected by the Mecanismo de Protección.
- Segob acknowledged the Mecanismo has operational shortcomings and said the program currently serves about 3,000 human-rights defenders and journalists who must continue to receive immediate responses when they file complaints.
- RCU Sistemas had been responsible for core security tools and services such as panic buttons, surveillance cameras, alarms and sensors, safe-house management, satellite phones, vehicles and armed escorts.
- Press reports have linked RCU to figures in the PRI and to Genaro García Luna while workers have alleged non-payment; the company has denied the political ties and those allegations remain unproven in public records.
- Officials warned that replacing a supplier is technically and logistically difficult and said authorities are arranging a substitute and coordinating with agencies that finished a public consultation on broadcast audience rights to set protocols and oversight; the key risk to watch is any gap in daily protection for beneficiaries during the handover.