Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Mayor Arturo Davalos Peña recently congratulated the second group of local lawyers who have obtained a Masters Degree in Criminal Procedure for Mexico's new accusatory judicial system, which employs oral trials rather than the submission of written evidence reviewed behind closed doors.

Implemented nationwide on June 18, 2016, Mexico's Nuevo Sistema de Justicia Penal (New Criminal Justice System) provides protection to the due process procedures for individuals involved in legal processes, and grants people accused of a crime more rights.

Bringing about the new system has required an alliance between government, institutes of higher education and bar associations to ensure that public defenders and private attorneys fully understand the new judicial system's procedural law and are prepared to play a more active role in defending the accused during legal proceedings.

Mayor Arturo Davalos Peña has been a mentor to the 2014–2016 graduates of the University Nova Spania's Masters Degree program that focuses on the issues of law and procedure for oral proceedings under the new accusatory penal system.

During last week's graduation ceremony, the mayor congratulated the graduates and thanked them for giving him the distinction of 'el padrino de su generación' (the godfather of his generation,) as the graduating class was made up of various public servants, like councilman Eduardo Martinez Martinez, and young enthusiasts who seek to better contribute to the development of their country and their municipality.

The mayor stressed that this issue is also of great importance to the city government, which is doing its part to prepare and train all elements of the Department of Public Safety, to ensure that investigation files are handled properly and comply with the new system's protocols.

Davalos Peña said that this generation of Masters in accusatory law procedure is important because it not only benefits Vallarta's citizens, but also supports and strengthens the role played by local government. "We will always pursue justice and equality among individuals, among all who live here. In that sense it is worth recognizing the virtue of anyone who aspires to be considered a legal adviser, a promoter of respect for human life and dignity through knowledge of the laws, as you all have done today," he said.

Symbolically, the group of graduates handed the mayor a judge's gavel, which was previously raised by each of the aspiring Masters. In addition to the graduates' families and friends, the ceremony was attended by the Director of the University, Gilberto Agatón Cuevas; the institution's Chief Operating Officer, Salvador Maldonado Perez; and, on behalf of the graduates, Ramon Ortiz Calleja.