MEXICO: Fox Urges Oklahoma Not to Execute Mexican

In Mexico City, Mexican President Vicente Fox urged Oklahoma's governor on Monday to follow last week's recommendation by his state's parole board and commute the death sentence of a Mexican national.

In a case that has drawn the attention of the World Court, Fox also requested that Gov. Brad Henry suspend for 30 days the execution of Osvaldo Torres, planned for May 18. Torres was convicted of a double murder that took place in 1993.

"(The letter) was sent to the governor ... requesting clemency for Osvaldo Torres," Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Mexico has protested the execution on the grounds that Torres was not told when arrested that he could receive help from the Mexican government, which it says violated an international treaty.

Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 last Friday to recommend changing Torres' death sentence to a sentence of life in prison.

Henry was due to receive the board's recommendation on Monday and will have the final say in the case.

The letter from Fox also claims Torres was not guilty of the murders.

In March, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered the United States to review the cases of 51 Mexicans on death row because it had failed to inform them of their right to talk to consular officials after their arrests. The Torres case was specifically mentioned by the body.