VOA标准英语2008年-Mexican President Proposes Life in Prison for K
时间:2019-02-18 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2008年(八月)
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent a new initiative to his country's Congress that would impose life in prison for those convicted of several categories of kidnapping, including current or former policemen involved in the crime. Mexico has one of the highest rates of kidnapping in the world and police have often been linked to cases around the country. VOA's Greg Flakus has more from Mexico City.
President Felipe Calderon delivers a speech at the presidential residence of Los Pinos in Mexico City, 06 Aug 2008
In a televised speech Thursday, President Calderon called on the legislative 1 body to take action soon on a proposed reform that would stiffen 2 penalties for kidnapping.
He said he is sending this proposal to the Congress because the Mexican people demand stronger penalties for vicious and cruel crimes. He said he wants to end the impunity 3 enjoyed by many kidnappers 4, especially those who are law enforcement officers.
He said the sentence of life in prison should be given to police officials and former police officials who are convicted of involvement in kidnapping. He also said the penalty should apply in several other circumstances including cases where the victim is a minor 5 or an invalid 6 and cases in which the victim is mutilated.
In recent days Mexican news reports have provided grim details about the death of a 14-year-old boy who was kidnapped off a Mexico City street in June. His dead body was found last week. The victim, Fernando Marti was the son of a prominent businessman, who paid the ransom 9 the kidnappers demanded and still lost his son.
Such stories are common in Mexico at all class levels. For many years, kidnappers concentrated on rich businessmen, show business personalities 10 and, occasionally, foreign visitors involved in business investments here. Now, there are cases of relatively 11 poor people being targeted for small amounts of money.
Some commentators 12 here have described kidnapping as an act of terrorism, although in Mexico the motive 7 is generally money rather than politics. There have been cases of victims being tortured and mutilated by their captors. Sometimes the kidnappers will send an ear or finger to the parents of the victim to put pressure on them.
Perpetrators remain at large
Most kidnapping cases go unsolved and the perpetrators remain at large. In many cases that have been resolved, investigators 14 found that policemen were involved. Prosecutors 15 believe police officials provided information to the kidnappers of Fernando Marti and several police officers have been detained for questioning.
Since taking office in 2006, President Calderon has launched major offensives against organized crime, concentrating for the most part on drug traffickers. The violent criminal gangs have killed hundreds of people in the past few years, including many policemen. This week a high-ranking homicide investigator 13 in Juarez, on the U.S. border, was killed in a hail of gunfire outside his home. He was the fourth officer to die there in the past week.
Public outrage 16
Jose Medellin, who was executed at the Texas Prison in Huntsville, (file photo)
An indication of the Mexican public's outrage over the crime situation was the muted response here to the execution of Mexican citizen Jose Medellin in Texas on Tuesday. He was convicted of the brutal 17 rape 18 and murder of two girls in Houston in 1993. The case drew international attention because he was allegedly not allowed to see the consul 19 from his country as called for under international agreements to which the United States is a signatory.
But, in contrast to some similar cases in the past, there were no major protests here. Many Mexicans say they have little sympathy for a man who was a rapist and murderer and sentiment has grown in favor of imposing 20 the death penalty here in an effort to stop violent criminals.
- Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
- Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
- The blood supply to the skin is reduced when muscles stiffen.当肌肉变得僵硬时,皮肤的供血量就减少了。
- I was breathing hard,and my legs were beginning to stiffen.这时我却气吁喘喘地开始感到脚有点僵硬。
- You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
- The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。
- They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了,没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙,他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
- I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
- He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
- A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
- The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
- He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
- We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
- The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。
- There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
- Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。
- The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
- The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
- Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语,真叫人腻烦。
- Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话,令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
- The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。
- This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
- The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方,检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
- You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。
- When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
- We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。
- She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
- They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼,骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
- The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
- He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。
- A consul's duty is to help his own nationals.领事的职责是帮助自己的同胞。
- He'll hold the post of consul general for the United States at Shanghai.他将就任美国驻上海总领事(的职务)。