Chiapas: Positions Regarding Murder of 11 People in Chicomuselo

On May 15^th, the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (Frayba) published a statement titled “Alert and Concern Regarding Acts of Violence and Regrettable Massacre of 11 people from the Civilian Population in Nuevo Morelia ejido, Chicomuselo”, related to events that occurred in there two days before and that resulted in the death of five women and six men. In it, Frayba stressed that given what happened, “the duty of the Mexican State should not be reduced to opening an investigation file, but rather it must guarantee its due diligence, as well as provide all rights to the victims.” It stated that both the federal government and that of Chiapas “have the urgent obligation to protect the civilian population,” which faces “the worsening of violence in the border and mountain region” due to the escalation of disputes between criminal groups to control a territory rich in minerals and part of the border route. Likewise, Frayba warned about the fact that this violence extends to other neighboring communities.

In his press conference on May 16^th, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) acknowledged that “that area has insecurity problems, there are versions, one is that two groups are fighting, it has been going on for some time, it is from Motozintla to Frontera Comalapa, Chicomuselo, that entire region, we are there participating, the National Guard is there, but there have been clashes and, unfortunately, loss of life. The day before this confrontation there was an attack, those affected maintain that they do not participate in any group, however, there are those who believe otherwise, that they are part of another group, and all investigations are being carried out,” he declared. However, he assured that there are conditions for the elections to be held in Chiapas on June 2^nd.

For more information in Spanish:

Alerta y preocupación ante los hechos de violencia y la lamentable masacre de 11 personas de la población civil en el ejido Nueva Morelia, Chicomuselo (Frayba, 15 de mayo de 2024)

Alerta y preocupación tras asesinato de 11 personas en Chicomuselo; Frayba alerta que violencia se extiende a otras comunidades (El Universal, 15 de mayo de 2024)

El deber del Estado no debe reducirse a abrir una carpeta: Frayba tras masacre en Nueva Morelia (Desinformémonos, 16 de mayo de 2024)

López Obrador sobre la masacre de Chicomuselo : «esa zona tiene un problema de seguridad » (El País, 16 de mayo de 2024)

AMLO confirma investigación por asesinatos en Chicomuselo, Chiapas (Aristegui Noticias, 16 de mayo de 2024)

For more information from SIPAZ: