Peace and Transparency Commission press conference @sie7edechiapas
On May 2, members of the Peace and Transparency Commission, a group of Tsotsil from Chenalho, Chiapas, held a press conference in front of the cathedral in San Cristobal de Las Casas, calling for the resignation of the mayor Rosa Perez Perez. Representatives of the nonconofrmist group acccused the mayor of Chenalho of “not keeping her campaign promises, not holding council meetings, not involving the municipal union or council members in government decisions and of firing trusted workers.” During her campaign, she promised to carry out public works, and give monthly dispensations of 5,000 pesos to all women in the municipality for craft production. It should be noted that this group has had a series of protests against the mayor since the beginning of April.
The opponents took over the town hall, the System of Integral Family Development headquarters (DIF in its Spanish acronym) and the Indigenous Peace and Conciliation Court in Chenalho; they closed roads to the municipal capital and took over the Tuxtla Gutierrez-San Cristobal de Las Casas highway tollbooth to demand her removal. The mayor handed in her resignation on April 13 in the face of these protests. Nevertheless, the deputies of the State Congress did not approve her request, ruling that her resignation was presented against her will. Given that Rosa Perez Perez remains in office, the noncomformists took over the State Congress on April 27 and chained its doors. Tomas Perez, spokesperson for the opposition stated in the press conference that they hope “the Congress accepts the resignation of the mayor this Tuesday 3, and on the contrary, on Thursday 5 some 15,000 indigenous from more than 100 communities will leave Chenalho and come to Tuxtla to present themselves at the doors of the State Congress.”
For more information in Spanish:
Indígenas de Chenalhó advierten que escalarán protestas si no renuncia su alcaldesa (Proceso, 02 de mayo de 2016)
Comisión de Paz demanda destitución de alcaldesa en Chiapas (La Jornada, 02 de mayo de 2016)
Fijan 24 horas para renuncia de alcadesa de Chenalhó, Chiapas (El Universal, 02 de mayo de 2016)
Conflicto en Chenalhó, fuego amigo en el gabinete de Velasco Coello de cara a la gubernatura de 2018
(Revolución Tres Punto Cero, 30 de abril de 2016)
Indígenas desbloquean Chenalhó (El universal, 29 de abril 2016)
Incendian casa de gente vinculada a la alcaldesa de Chenalhó (La Jornada, 27 de abril de 2016)
Alcaldesa de Chenalhó, remplazada por síndico (La Jornada, 14 de abril de 2016)
Exigen destituir a la alcaldesa de Chenalhó (La Jornada, 12 de abril de 2016)
Habitantes de Chenalhó ocupan oficinas municipales (La Jornada, 9 de abril de 2016)
sipazen.wordpress.com 