Chiapas: Thousands Displaced by Violence in Maravilla Tenejapa

@Heraldo de Chiapas

On November 27^th, it was announced that thousands of residents from 13 communities in the Chiapas municipality of Maravilla Tenejapa have been forcibly displaced to the mountains and some nearby towns. This, after organized crime groups raided the region and kidnapped the municipal president, Zoel Lopez Gutierrez and one of his collaborators.

The upsurge in violence in this region in recent months is attributed to the battle between two organized crime organizations that seek to control border territories that are strategic for their businesses. At the beginning of November, one of the cartels burned several vehicles, kidnapped two young people – the body of one of them was found dismembered – and burned some homes. On November 25^th, Mayor Zoel Lopez Gutierrez and one of his collaborators were kidnapped. “They toured at least 13 communities in vans where they burned homes and intimidated the population,” the media reported. According to these same sources, elements of the Mexican army from the 12^th Military Zone tried to enter towns in the municipality but were ambushed, one soldier died and two more were wounded.

For more information in Spanish:

Miles de desplazados y ataques al ejército, avanza el crimen organizado en Chiapas (Chiapas Paralelo, 26 de noviembre de 2023)

Habitantes de Maravilla Tenejapa acuden a los cerros para refugiarse (El Heraldo de Chiapas, 27 de noviembre de 2023)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Miles marchan contra la violencia en Chicomuselo (October 13, 2023)