Chiapas: Zapatista Support Base Manuel Gomez Vazquez Released

On November 16^th, the Tseltal indigenous, Manuel Gomez Vazquez, support base of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), was released, after remaining in prison for two years and 11 months, accused of the crime of homicide.

The Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights reported: “Today an acquittal was issued that ordered the immediate release of Manuel Gomez Vazquez, as no responsibility in the commission of the crime was proven.” “We are infinitely grateful for the solidarity of all the people, groups and human rights organizations that made the freedom of our compañero possible,” it declared.

In a statement, the Ajmaq Network declared that “Manuel’s freedom is not a concession from the Mexican State, nor is it proof that the justice delivery system works, on the contrary, it demonstrates a criminal State with structures to repress, capable of fabricating crimes.”

For more information in Spanish:

Absuelven a indígena tseltal acusado de homicidio en Chiapas, La Jornada, 16 de noviembre de 2023

Liberan al base de apoyo zapatista Manuel Gómez Vázquez, Desinformémonos, 17 de novmiembre de 2023

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Civil Society Organizations and Meet with UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (October 3, 2023)

Chiapas: Days of Actions against Criminalization and for for Liberty of Political Prisoners in Chiapas (September 19, 2023)

Chiapas: Campaign for Release of Manuel Gomez Vazquez Continues (April 25, 2023)