@ El Heraldo de Mexico
On October 7th, a video was shared on social networks showing a group of armed people, supposedly a self-defense group, this time in Altamirano, where for a week access to the town hall has been closed to prevent the swearing in of elected candidate Gabriela Roque Tipacamu, wife of Roberto Pinto Kanter, both accused of wanting to continue with the leadership imposed since 2002 in this municipality.
In the video, a hooded man said: “The rich protect themselves among the rich, as politicians protect themselves among politicians, regardless of color. They want to deceive us by saying that because they changed color they are now new, what never changes is their indifference towards us, the indigenous Tseltales and Tojolabales”, for which they said to support those who are fighting: “We will help them to defend this territory, at whatever cost, so that there are no more criminals and thieves, so that deaf and exploitative governments end, and so that the exploitation of our natural resources ends.”
With this, there are now four self-defense groups that have been identified in the state of Chiapas. However, Angeles Mariscal explained that each group must be analyzed because some have very specific demands while others “seem to have no direction.” “You have to look at each of these groups, including “El Machete”, very carefully. See their characteristics, see the movements behind them and see the situation in the municipalities where they apparently came out”, said the journalist.
For more information in Spanish:
Pobladores de Altamirano recurren a autodefensas armadas para sacudirse cacicazgos (Chiapas Paralelo, 8 de octubre de 2021)
Surge cuarto grupo armado en Chiapas; respaldan otros autodefensas (El Heraldo de México, 7 de octubre de 2021)
Alertan por cuatro grupos armados que han surgido en Chiapas (Grupo Fórmula, 7 de octubre de 2021)
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