TIJUANA— One of Mexico's leading poets has stopped writing so the victims of violence can be heard like never before.

Javier Sicilia visited this city, which knows violence intimately, to denounce "demonic" criminals, the corrupt government officials he said protect them and ignorant political candidates and their parties.

Most of all, he urged ordinary Mexicans to take an active role in bringing about fundamental change in the country, much like activists in the Arab Spring movement had achieved, and Occupy Wall Street is seeking.

Though his talk Thursday night was about his latest book -- "Estamos hasta la madre" -- he frequently referred to the movement he founded and leads. It's a movement ignited by his grief at the torture-murder of his 24-year-old son and six others in March by traffickers in Cuernavaca. Authorities said that the young people had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Writing poetry ended with the death of my son," Sicilia said. "I can only explain it from a Christian perspective: My son was the sacred word living. When he died, it was like Good Friday when they killed Christ, I was left in silence."

Instead of writing, Sicilia founded what has become the largest movement in Mexico's recent history. Its supporters have marched in numerous cities across Mexico – one in the nation's capital drew more than 90,000 people in May.

The Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity focuses on the victims of violence and demands nothing less than an end to President Calderon's war on drug traffickers and to corruption and impunity.

And its followers call on the United States to stop the southbound flow of deadly weapons to organized criminals in Mexico.

In an interview before his presentation, the 55-year-old poet who lives in Mexico City had tough words for just about everyone, starting with criminals, whom he tried to engage publicly in a dialogue.

He noted that "mafias and drug cartels" once followed a code of ethics, one that prohibited killing people in general, killing families.

That time is gone, he said.

"In this state of savagery, demonic, that we are living in, I wish they had an ounce of ethics, a sliver of ethics." Because they don't, he continued, engaging criminals in dialogue is impossible.

During his presentation, Sicilia mentioned Jorge Hank Rhon, a controversial magnate and former Tijuana mayor. In June, the Mexican military raided his house and detained him and several others and confiscated 80 weapons and nearly 10,000 rounds of ammunition. A judge freed him after ten days, ruling that the federal government lacked evidence to charge him. Though many Mexicans believe he's involved in organized crime, he has never been convicted of a serious crime.

Last month, he announced his intention to be a candidate again for governor in Baja California for the PRI party.

Sicilia called Hank an example of what all political parties should avoid. He accused them of having criminals in their ranks that they protect.

"As long as there is not a policy that forbids criminals from being accepted into the parties, as long as the parties and their candidates do not distance themselves from criminals, the message will be, 'It's OK to break the law, just make sure you have enough help to avoid going to jail.'

"That's why we have so much impunity. That is why we have organized and disorganized crime doing whatever they want to do."

Mexico will have a presidential election next year. The poet said that the movement he leads does not support any party.

He proposed that a coalition government be formed that has an agenda for national unity. And that it imposes harsh sentences on criminals who were a part of the government or of a political party.

He was critical of all the politicians vying to be presidential candidates.

"The current contenders believe that we live in a peaceful country. They are not aware of the national emergency we're living or the Balkanization that the country is experiencing because of organized crime. And as a result, the elections will be shameful.

"Mexicans should not be asking themselves who they are going to vote for, rather what cartel they are going to vote for. That is what's shameful."

Sicilia is a prominent media figure in Mexico. In addition to writing poetry, he has been a contributing writer to the national news magazine Proceso for 18 years. The murder of his son – and his demand for justice -- received extensive news coverage domestically and abroad. He forced a very public dialogue about crime, about ineffective police forces, and the national policy of confronting the drug cartels.

His words resonated with people across Mexico touched by crime, people living with grief and anger. Thousands joined his marches, many telling their story about losing a loved one to criminals or, they suspect, to the military or corrupt government authorities.

Sicilia said he believes that there has been a change in the country since his movement began. He compared it to the Zapatista movement, which over time was able to give a face to the plight of Mexico's indigenous people.

The new movement has raised awareness of the 50,000 who have died in drug-related violence across Mexico in the last few years, the 10,000 who have disappeared and the 120,000 who have been displaced from their home, he said.

"We want to make sure that one more terrible loss does not become just a statistic but an open wound, with survivors who await justice."

He said that the movement has given a face to the victims of impunity and that has begun to change people's perceptions.

"The problem is that we are all responsible for this: The citizens for being absent and writing a blank check to government officials; the public servants who because of that blank check have decided to use the state to protect their interests; the parties for constructing this system; the business class because they continue to be absent… We're all responsible."

He said the movement is organizing to be able to continue to press for justice for crime victims, and sweeping social and political reforms.

Victor Soto, a university professor in Tijuana and himself a poet, said during the presentation that Sicilia "with his sorrowful silence made us acknowledge our own pain."

Omar.millan@sandiegored.com