Chiapas: Tenth Anniversary of MODEVITE Celebrated

On November 24^th and 25^th, an event was held in Patria Nueva, municipality of Ocosingo to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (MODEVITE), in which hundreds of people participated.

This movement was created in 2013 and includes “Tseltal, Tsotsil and Ch’ol men and women from 13 municipalities in the Highlands and Jungle areas in the State of Chiapas. We belong to the Believing People of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, a group in which we reflect on the political-social reality in our communities. Huixtan, Oxchuc, Ocosingo, Altamirano, Chilon, Sitala, Yajalon, Tenejapa, Cancuc, the Candelaria ejido, municipality of San Cristobal, Palenque and Chicomuselo”, according to its own website.

On the tenth anniversary, in addition to celebratory activities, the event gave rise to an analysis of the threats that continue to affect the population of these areas, in particular government programs but also the fight between organized crime groups that also affect their lands and territories.

It is worth mentioning that in its ten years, MODEVITE has managed to stop the construction of the superhighway between San Cristóbal de Las Casas and Palenque. Likewise, it has contributed to the consolidation of community governments in the municipalities of Chilon and Sitala that work from their own forms of government and construction of Tseltal agreements, among other advances.

For more information in Spanish:

MODEVITE, diez años de lucha y resistencia por la vida y el territorio (Chiapas Paralelo, 30 de noviembre de 2023)

Comunicado completo (MODEVITE, 25 de noviembre de 2023)

Marcha en Ocosingo celebra 10 años de lucha del movimiento en Defensa de la Vida y del Territorio (MODEVITE) (El Heraldo de Chiapas, 25 de noviembre de 2023)

For more information from SIPAZ: