2 Mexicans Face Terror Charges

Two people in Mexico are facing terror charges and 30 years in prison over tweets they allegedly sent—the most serious charges relating to social media. On Aug. 25, Gilberto Martinez Vera tweeted, “My sister-in-law just called me all upset, they just kidnapped five children from the school.” Maria de Jesus Bravo Pagola, a teacher, also tweeted the warnings about violence in schools, when no such events were occurring. The pair’s defense attorneys said their clients were just repeating rumors they had heard. The city of Veracruz, which was already on edge because of drug-related violence, reportedly had 26 car accidents and people leaving their cars in the middle of the streets to run and pick up their children—all because they thought things were occurring at their kids’ schools. Defense lawyers said their clients were not allowed to see a lawyer for three days.