To the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN)
To the Congreso Nacional Indígena (CNI)
To the Consejo Indígena de Gobierno (CIG)
To the Sexta Mundial
To the signatories of Una Declaración por la Vida
To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion
To human rights organizations
To the People of Mexico
To free and autonomous media
Mexico City, Thursday, November 21, 2024
Comrades,
We urgently denounce the events that occurred today, November 21, at 11:29 AM, when three men arrived at the home of members of the Sexta Civil Observation Mission, who are also part of Colectivo Brújula Roja, Red de Apoyo Iztapalapa Sexta, and other organizations of the Sexta.
These three individuals, approximately between 25 and 35 years old, with accents typical of the state of Guerrero, persistently knocked on the door until one of our comrades decided to look out the window. The three men displayed a threatening demeanor: one stood partially behind a wall, glancing around, another kept a hand on his waist as though hiding something, and a third man, about 27 years old, asked our comrade about one of our fellow promoters from the Consejo Indígena y Popular de Guerrero-Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ), specifically mentioning his last name. When our comrade looked confused, the man repeated himself, providing both the last and first name of the CIPOG-EZ member. She responded that she did not know him and had never heard that name in the area. The man who had spoken turned to look at the other two and laughed before saying ominously, “We’ll be back, maybe you’ll remember then.”
The men then left. Our comrade watched them from the window and saw that one of them nodded toward the right, signaling to another.
About 20 minutes later, our comrade left her home with her 3-year-old son. As she turned a corner, she noticed one of the men following her. She kept walking but decided to enter a nearby store to try to lose him, buy time, or rely on the store’s cameras and the presence of others to pressure him to leave. While inside, she called one of our members, who quickly came to assist her. When they left the store together, the man who had been following her was no longer there (a report of this incident was filed with the C-5 system, folio number 3457).
We highlight that only one CIPOG-EZ promoter had previously visited our comrades’ home, taking all necessary security and discretion measures (his personal details are being withheld for safety reasons, as he is a beneficiary of the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists). This promoter never shared the address with anyone, making the appearance of these men at the residence deeply suspicious.
We emphasize that our comrades were part of the first Sexta Civil Observation Mission (MCO-S) to Guerrero in 2021 to expose the severe human rights violations occurring in the Montaña Baja region of Guerrero. Since then, they have continued supporting the legal and defense processes for children, women, elders, and men in the 24 communities organized with the CIPOG-EZ.
This harassment takes place in a context where federal, state, and municipal authorities claim to be combating criminality, yet violence in Guerrero continues to escalate, along with death threats against those defending life and territory. Promoters of the CIPOG-EZ have been frequent targets of such threats. Furthermore, on November 19, the CIPOG-EZ issued a public statement exposing the collusion between criminal groups and the State, affirming that “organized crime is the State.”
If anything happens to our comrades, we hold the State responsible, including Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada, as well as the federal government led by Claudia Sheinbaum and Omar García Harfuch. These officials claim that there are no cartels in Mexico City, yet their presence is evident throughout the country.
We call on all solidarity organizations and human rights entities to remain vigilant regarding what may happen to CIPOG-EZ promoters and those who support them. We call for widespread denunciation of the violence taking place in Mexico and for an end to the war against the peoples of the EZLN and the Congreso Nacional Indígena.
Sincerely,
Collectives and Organizations Participating in the Sex
