On December 2, Believing People denounced the violence that prevails and worsens in the border area of Chiapas with Guatemala a statement. On this occasion, they made reference to a detention suffered by pastoral agents and servants of the Catholic Church of the municipality of Chicomuselo.
Men, women and children were detained by members of the MAIZ, an organization that is said to be linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and which has maintained checkpoints and blockades in different parts of the region for several months.
The members of Believing People were interrogated for more than 30 minutes, their identification was requested and they were even photographed and video recorded after which they were allowed passage, however, they claim to fear for their safety.
In the statement they point out “the omission of the State and the complicity with criminal groups puts the population at total risk, living in uncertainty for those of us who are still in the town; Many more have decided to migrate, leaving all their heritage that they have achieved with so much effort.” “We suffer violations of our human and collective rights; we live in constant threats, intimidation, harassment, dispossession of our natural and material assets, forced migration, persecution, arrests, disappearances and murders without, until now, any response from the complicit state in the face of so much injustice.”
For more information in Spanish:
Pueblo Creyente denuncia retención de integrantes por parte de ‘El Maíz’ (La Jornada 3 de diciembre de 2023)
Denuncian secuestro de grupo religioso por parte de grupo criminal en Chicomuselo (El Heraldo de Chiapas 4 de diciembre de 2023)
For more information from SIPAZ:
Chiapas: Thousands Displaced by Violence in Maravilla Tenejapa (December 4, 2023)
Chiapas: Miles marchan contra la violencia en Chicomuselo (October 13, 2023)
Chiapas/National: Over 200 Organizations Speak out against Increase of Violence in Chiapas (October 3, 2023)
Chiapas: Continúan disputas por el control territorial en zona fronteriza dejando a la población incomunicada y con escasez de alimentos (September 25, 2023)
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