Introductory Note to International Court of Justice: Decision on the Request for Interpretation of the Avena Judgment

On 19 January 2009, the International Court of Justice ( ICJ or the Court ) issued its Judgment On the Request for the Interpretation of the Avena Judgment ( Judgment ) denying Mexico\u27s request for interpretation, and holding that the matters claimed by Mexico are not matters which ha[d] been decided by the Court in its Judgment, and thus could not give rise to an interpretation as requested by 2Mexico.\u27 This is probably the last step in a complex and lengthy litigation between Mexico and United States,2 which began on January 9, 2003, when Mexico instituted proceedings at the ICJ against the U.S. for violations of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations ( Vienna Convention or the Convention )