Mexico: Consultations on Maya Train and Nine “Priority” Projects of New Government

On November 24th and 25th, the consultation was held on the Maya Train and nine other projects that the next executive considers “priority” to implement as soon as it officially takes office on December 1st.

1,098 voting tables installed in 538 municipalities nationwide were used, according to the Arturo Rosenblueth Foundation, in charge of the organization. 946,081 people participated in this consultation and 89.9% voted in favor of the proposed Mayan Train project that seeks to communicate the main archaeological centers of the Maya zone in five states of southeastern Mexico. All the other proposals received more than 90% of votes in favor: the development of the Tehuantepec Isthmus Train; the refinery in Dos Bocas, Tabasco; the reforestation program; the increase in the pension for adults over 68 years of age; the granting of scholarships to all students of public high schools in the country; the delivery of pensions to disabled people; as well as guaranteed medical attention and free internet coverage.

Specialists, academics, environmentalists, scientists and civil organizations have questioned the development proposals included in this package, mainly due to the ecological damage that these projects could cause.

For its part, the Movement in Defense of the Land and the Territory in Chiapas questioned why none of these projects was brought to consultation with the people that will be directly affected when it is carried out in cities. “Of the 79 spaces that were installed in the state, only one was in the municipality of Palenque and it was located in the municipal capital, far from the places through which it will transit -in case of materializing- in its 45 kilometers,” they said.

For more information in Spanish:

El Tren Maya y su impacto en las comunidades, Proceso, 27 de noviembre de 2018

Tren Maya pasa la consulta de López Obrador en México con el 89,9% de los votos, CNN, 26 de noviembre de 2018

Equipo de AMLO presume que programas obtuvieron más del 90% de aceptación; Tren Maya, el menos votado (Animal Político, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Consulta sobre Tren Maya no llegó a los pueblos, comunidades y ejidos que impactará en Chiapas (Aristegui Noticias, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Pueblos indígenas no participaron como se esperaba: Claudia Muñoz (La Jornada, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Resultados de la Consulta Nacional 10 Programas Prioritarios (Fundación Arturo Rosenblueth, 25 de noviembre de 2018)

Les falta baño de pueblo, dice López Obrador a críticos del Tren Maya (Animal Político, 25 de noviembre de 2018)

Entre burócratas y ciudadanos los que más participaron en la consulta de AMLO (Pagina3.mx, 25 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

National: Faced with Rejection of National Guard, AMLO Proposes New Consultation (December 12th, 2018)

National: AMLO Announces Consultation for the Construction of the Maya Train (November 14th, 2018)

National: Mexico International Airport in Texcoco is canceled after consultation
(November 3rd, 2018)

Mexico: proposal from future AMLO government – Mayan Train to tour the southern states of the country and attract more tourism  (September 15th, 2018)

 

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National/International: Marches for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

@CDMCh

On November 25th, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, activities were held throughout the world as well as in several states of Mexico. This day was first promoted by the United Nations (UN) in 2009 to highlight the fact that “violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in the world today and that it is barely reported due to the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators, and the silence, stigmatization and shame suffered by the victims.” The motto this year was “Orange the World: #HearMeToo”, calling on public opinion to “listen and believe the survivors, to put an end to the culture of silence and that our response be focused on survivors.”

In Mexico, marches were held in eight states. In Oaxaca, two years after the inauguration of Governor Alejandro Murat Hinojosa, women not only marched in the capital but also blocked the entry of the State Attorney General, criticizing that “nothing has changed” and “the simulation in the implementation of the gender alert, by not seeking justice, or attending to the victims.” According to the Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity, femicide rates in Oaxaca have increased to 235 up to November 23rd, a fact that shows that “violence increases every day.”

In Guerrero, the protests of organizations, artists, journalists and social activists focused on the case of Valentina Rosendo Cantu with actions that began the day and will continue until December 10th, Human Rights Day. Valentina obtained a sentence against the military that raped and tortured her in July 2002 and continues to defend the rights of women in Guerrero. However, the “State is no guarantee to safeguard our rights,” said the Montaña Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, speaking of “an average of 4.5 cases [of femicides] per month” and that “this escalation of violence against us occurs in the middle of public thoroughfare, the perpetrators shoot their weapons without fear of being arrested and investigated.”

In San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, a march was also held that closed the Sixth Assembly of the Movement in Defense of the Land, the Territory and for the Participation and Recognition of Women in Decisions. In their pronouncement, they demanded that the government “guarantee our right to land and participation in decision-making without mediation and without violence.” According to the Center for Women’s Rights (CDMCh in its Spanish acronym), there were “95 known cases of serious violence against women in Chiapas” between January and July 2018. Since 2015, Chiapas ranks “third place nationwide with the most violence against women.”

For more information in Spanish:

Por qué debemos eliminar la violencia contra la mujer (ONU)

Mensaje de la Secretaria General Adjunta de la ONU y Directora Ejecutiva de ONU Mujeres, 2018 (ONU)

Marchas en ocho entidades para erradicar la violencia contra mujeres (La Jornada, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Feministas clausuran Fiscalía General de Oaxaca por su desatención a víctimas (Video) (La Minuta, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Contra la violencia de género… a costa de nuestra vida (El Sur, 26 de noviembre de 2018)

Pronunciamiento 25 de noviembre “Día Internacional por la Eliminación de la Violencia en contra de las mujeres y niñas” (La Bridaga Feminista Lucero, 24 de noviembre de 2018)

Pronunciamiento del Movimiento en Defensa de la Tierra, el Territorio, por la Participación y el Reconocimiento de las Mujeres en las Decisiones (25 de noviembre de 2018)

Violencia contra Mujeres y Feminicidios en Chiapas (CDMCh, 25 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

National/International: “Green Tide” – Activists March for Free and Safe Abortion; Threatened across Republic (October 9th, 2018)

Oaxaca: Nine Femicides after 28 Days of Gender Violence Alert – Some Municipalities Yet to Implement Declaration (Oct. 2nd, 2018)

Oaxaca: Segob decrees Gender Violence Alert in Oaxaca for unfullfillment of governor Murat  (Sept. 18th, 2018)

Nacional : OSC denuncian omisiones en investigación y combate a feminicidios (Aug.16th, 2018)

National/International: “Final Observations on the Ninth Periodic Report from Mexico, the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women” Published  (August 6th, 2018)

Chiapas : Reunión de evaluación de la Alerta de Violencia de Género sin participación de las organizaciones peticionarias (June 19th, 2018)

Guerrero: Femicides Rocket Despite Gender Violence Alert (July 12th, 2018)

Guerrero: Femicides on the Rise in 2017 (Jan. 26th, 2018)

Oaxaca: Special Comission to Investigate Femicidal Violence Set Up after Delays  (January 24th, 2018)

 

Chiapas/National/International: EZLN Invitation to 25th Anniversary of Zapatista Uprising and Meeting of Networks

In a communiqué published on November 17, the date of its 35th anniversary, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN in its Spanish acronym) invited people to two events to be held at the end of the year: from December 26th to 30th, to a “Meeting of Resistance and Rebellion Networks, of Support for the CIG (Indigenous Council of Government), or Whatever they Are Called” to be carried out in the “Traces of Memory. Subcomandante Insurgente Pedro Did his Duty” center,” in the vicinity of the town of Guadalupe Tepeyac, MAREZ San Pedro de Michoacan.

Also, on December 31st, 2018 and January 1st, 2019, the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the armed uprising will be held in Zapatista La Realidad, location of the caracol “Madre de los caracoles del mar de nuestro sueños”, in the Border Jungle zone.

The email for registration to the first event is redesdic18@enlacezapatista.org.mx; and for the second anniversary25@enlacezapatista.org.mx.

For more information in Spanish:

Invitación a la celebración del 25 Aniversario del Alzamiento Zapatista y a un Encuentro de Redes (EZLN, 17 de noviembre de 2018)

Convoca EZLN a encuentro de apoyo al CIG (La Jornada, 18 de noviembre de 2018)

#EZLN: 35 años de lucha (Subrayado.mx, 18 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: EZLN Publishes Program for First Film Festival “Puy Ta Cuxlejaltic”  (November 5th, 2018)

Chiapas: EZLN Announces “The Impossible Cinema”  (October 14th, 2018)

Chiapas : segunda y tercera parte del comunicado del EZLN compartido durante el Encuentro de Redes en Morelia, (23/08/2018)

Chiapas: Comunicado EZLN (primera parte) UNA FINCA, UN MUNDO, UNA GUERRA, POCAS PROBABILIDADES, (22/08/2018)

Chiapas: Meeting of CIG Support Networks, COMPARTE 2018 “For Life and Liberty” and 15th Anniversary of the Zapatista Caracoles  (August 22, 2018)

Chiapas/National: Roundtable Discussion “To Watch, to Listen, to Speak: Forbidden to Think?”  (May 5th, 2018)

 

Chiapas: Reporters Without Borders (RWB) and the Committee to Protect Journalists Describes State as “Red Flag” for Freddom of Press and Expression

“Justice for Mario” (@APECOCH)

From November 9th to 13th, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) visited Chiapas to monitor the progress that has been made in the investigation of reporter Mario Gomez’s murder, which occurred last September 21st in the municipality of Yajalon and to document the situation of freedom of the press and expression in the state. They conducted interviews with relatives and acquaintances of the El Heraldo de Chiapas correspondent, journalists from local and national media based in Chiapas, human rights defenders organizations and state authorities, as well as with the State Attorney General’s Office and the transition team of the Governor-elect Rutilio Escandon.

At the end of their visit, they affirmed that Chiapas is already a “red flag” in terms of freedom of the press and of expression, with Yajalon, Chilon, Tapachula, Comitan and the entire border strip being the areas with the greatest risk to practice journalism, due to the presence of organized crime. They documented intimidations, threats, lawsuits and physical aggressions, as well as a strong job precariousness. “This violence has provoked self-censorship among reporters that cover issues such as corruption, social conflicts, abuses of power by authorities, organized crime and its relationship with the authorities,” they said.

In the case of what happened to Mario Leonel Gomez Sanchez, they acknowledged that although there are advances, it is necessary to inquire who were the intellectual authors who gave the order to execute the journalist. They asserted that there are sufficient elements to consider that the murder of Mario Gomez was linked to his journalistic work.

“It is urgent that the incoming government of the governor-elect Rutilio Escandon develop comprehensive public policies of prevention, protection and combatting impunity, in order to guarantee the free exercise of journalism in the state,” stressed both organizations among several other recommendations.

It should be remembered that according to figures from RWB and CPJ, Mexico is the deadliest country for journalism in the Western Hemisphere, with at least nine private reporters losing their lives this year to date.

For more information in Spanish:

Chiapas es ya “un foco rojo” en materia de libertad de prensa y de expresión: RSF y CPJ (Proceso, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Chiapas foco rojo en agresiones contra periodistas: Reporteros Sin Fronteras (Heraldo de México, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Exigen dar con verdaderos responsables de asesinar a Mario Gómez, en Chiapas (Excelsior, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Organizaciones internacionales declaran a Chiapas “foco rojo” en materia de libertad de prensa y de expresión (Chiapas Paralelo, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Comunicado conjunto de CPJ y RSF sobre la visita que ambas organizaciones acabamos de realizar en el estado de #Chiapas (CPJ Américas, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Urgen políticas públicas a favor de periodistas (Cuarto Poder, 14 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Fourth Suspect Arrested One Month after Murder of Journalist Mario Gomez (November 1st, 2018)

Chiapas: Three Arrested for the Murder of Journalist Mario Gomez (October 8th, 2018)

Chiapas: Julión Alvarez Threatens to Sue Media and Frayba; Chiapas Paralelo Denounces “Erosion of Freedom of Expression” (October 1st, 2018)

Chiapas: Heraldo de Chiapas Journalist Murdered in Yajalon (September 27th, 2018)

National: Defenders and Journalists Denounce Insufficient Resources for Continuity of Protection Mechanism (September 26th, 2018)

National: UN-HR urges Mexico to guarantee resources for the protection of journalists and human rights defenders (September 17th, 2018)

Nacional: Relatores sobre libertad de expresión de la CIDH y la ONU presentan informe después de visita a México (June 21st, 2018)

Chiapas: Voice of Amate Supporter Moved to High Security Prison

Pilgrimage for the release of prisoners, 2016 (@SIPAZ)

On November 15th, Alejandro Diaz Santiz, a supporter of The Voice of Amate group and adherent of the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, was transferred from the San Cristobal de Las Casas jail to the federal maximum security prison located in Villa Comaltitlan.

A prisoner for 19 years for the crime of homicide, this transfer is because he has been demanding his release and better care in San Cristobal prison, according to his former fellow prisoner, Alberto Patishtan Gomez, who was pardoned in 2013 by President Enrique Peña Nieto. He affirmed in a press conference that “We did not expect this to be done to compañero Alejandro, because just in December he had been returned after almost two years of punishment [in the same place], because he has always fought for his freedom and rights, and for denouncing mistreatment in the prison.” Patishtan Gomez demanded the dismissal of Candelaria Jimenez, currently director of the San Cristobal prison, “because not only has Alejandro been treated badly, he has done the same to others; the prisoners do not denounce for fear of transfers.”

For more information in Spanish:

Los Solidarios de la Voz del Amate exigen el regreso de Alejandro Díaz Santis al CERSS número 5 (Solidarios de la Voz del Amate, 16 de noviembre de 2018)

Previo a su salida, Velasco Coello nuevamente encarcela a indígena tsotsil, en penal de máxima seguridad (Radio Pozol, 16 de noviembre de 2018)

Traslado arbitrario de nuestro compañero Alejandro Díaz Santis (Grupo de Trabajo No estamos Todos, 15 de noviembre de 2018)

Chiapas: trasladan a activista a penal de máxima seguridad (La Jornada, 15 de noviembre de 2018)

Denuncian malos tratos en el penal de San Cristóbal y traslao de presos (Gaby Coutiño – Periodistmo en libertad, 15 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas : Roberto Paciencia Cruz, ex injustamente preso llama a la solidaridad con Alejandro Díaz Santíz (September 14th, 2017)

Chiapas: Alejandro Diaz Santiz Reiterates His Demand for Freedom (September 12th, 2016)

Chiapas: Alejandro Diaz Santiz Reports Mistreatment of Prisoners (June 8th, 2016)

Chiapas: Alejandro Diaz Santiz Fasts to Mark 17 Years in Prison (May 14th, 2016)

Chiapas: Day of Action for the Liberation of Alejandro Diaz Santiz and Political Prisoners (April 23rd, 2016)

Chiapas: Calls for release of Alejandro Diaz Santiz (March 19th, 2016)

Chiapas: Alejandro Díaz Sántiz and 386 other prisoners transferred to high-security prison (October 8th, 2015)

Chiapas: Mass Forced Displacement in Chabajeval, Municipality El Bosque

(@Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights)

The crisis of internal forced displacement in the highlands of Chiapas reached a new peak on November 7th when, according to the parish priest of Simojovel, Marcelo Perez Perez, in the community of Chavajeval, municipality of El Bosque, almost all of the inhabitants of the town (about a thousand people according to the first estimates) fled from there after a conflict in which a 65-year-old man died. On the same day, the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights reported that, “while a community assembly was held, there was an explosion and shots were later heard.”

Since that date, displaced people have sought refuge in various places, including in nearby mountains or in the town of El Bosque and in the municipalities of Chenalho, Chalchihuitan and San Cristobal de Las Casas.

Given the rumor that more displaced people were kidnapped in the community of Tierra Caliente, Father Marcelo confirmed that although there were 400 displaced people in this place, they were not kidnapped.

The root of the displacement derives from a conflict between the residents of the community whic “on October 24th, Miguel Perez Lopez, ejido commissioner of Chavajeval, and Carmelino de Jesus Ruiz Álvarez was ambushed and shot at, two more people they were injured,” Chiapas Paralelo states. The investigation of the case by the community authorities has generated tension and accusations among the different groups present in the community.

While it is unclear if there are conditions for a return for the coffee harvest given the risk of losing it, the situation of displacement (which affects all groups) remains critical: “Food corn, beans and medicine are needed. I invite you in your parishes and organizations to show solidarity in prayer and gathering food,” said Father Marcelo Perez.

Civil Protection of Chiapas informed through its Facebook page that it has delivered food and blankets to those affected.

Support can also be provided through CARITAS DE LA DIOCESIS DE SAN CRISTOBAL.

Bank details:

BANORTE

Account number: 0642624985

IBAN: 072130006426249855

ACCOUNT NAME: CARITAS DE SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS A.C.

For its part, the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights urged the Mexican government to “guarantee the conditions to stop the escalation of violence in the community of Chavajebal, municipality of El Bosque, Chiapas”; to “favor dialogue and conciliation between the parties for the resolution of the conflict”; to “impartially and efficiently investigate the facts that led to the forced displacement of almost 2,000 people from the community of Chavajebal, municipality of El Bosque, Chiapas”; and to “address the humanitarian crisis situation in accordance with the Guiding Principles of the Forced Internal Displacement of the United Nations Organization and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples in a situation of vulnerability”.

For more information in Spanish:

Acción Urgente del Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas: Se profundiza la crisis humanitaria de los Altos de Chiapas (13 de noviembre de 2018)

Párroco de Simojovel clama por ayuda para desplazados de Chavajeval, Chiapas (El Proceso, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Suman tres muertos y casi mil personas desplazadas en Chavajebal (Chiapas Paralelo, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Unos mil habitantes huyeron al monte en Chavajeval, Chiapas; la iglesia dice que hay hambruna (Sin Embargo, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Habitantes de Chavajeval, Chiapas, enfrentan desplazamiento forzado (Proceso, 10 de noviembre de 2018)

Urge atención a desplazamiento en Chabajeval: Martín Ramírez (NVI, 10 de noviembre de 2018)

Detienen presuntos zapatistas involucrados en asesinato de autoridades de Chavajeval (Ultimatum, 7 de noviembre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Frayba Denounces New Attacks in Aldama and Demands End to Violence (November 19th, 2018)

Chiapas: displaced families from Banavil return to their home to celebrate the Day of the Dead (November 3rd, 2018)

Chiapas: State Congress asks the government to address the issue of forced displacement; displaced people from Colonia Puebla return to San Cristóbal de Las Casas (October 30th, 2018)

Chiapas: Oportunidad de profundizar el tema del desplazamiento forzado en el Congreso del estado (October 24th, 2018)

Chiapas: Thousands of Health-care Workers Protest over Non-payment and Lack of Medicines

 

(@Alerta Chiapas)

On October 12th, the National Trade Union of Health-care Workers (SNTSA in its Spanish acronym) held a march in the capital of Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, in which more than 10,000 people participated, due to the refusal of the State Government to provide a solution to their demands.

Since October 26th, members of Section 50 of the SNTSA have been on strike and suspended their work. The protestors, most of them doctors, nurses and administrative workers, have denounced the lack of salary payment, the non-fulfillment of various benefits (some of them owed money from the state government since 2015 and amounting to an amount of 883 million pesos), as well as the shortage of medicines and medical supplies.

Therefore, according to Cuarto Poder, “they demand payment from Issste, Fovissste, SAR, work and individual insurance, as well as medical supplies in hospitals and health centers, where there is no treatment material for first aid before the new government administration comes to power on December 8th next.”

For more information in Spanish:

Marchan miles de trabajadores de salud exigen el pago a sus prestaciones sociales que gobierno les adeuda desde 2015 (Alerta Chiapas, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Marchan 18 mil trabajadores de Salud en Tuxtla Gutiérrez (El Heraldo de Chiapas, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Marcha Sindicato de Salud reclaman pago de bonos (Cuarto Poder, 13 de noviembre de 2018)

Trabajadores de la SSa de Chiapas exigen pago de prestaciones (La Jornada, 12 de noviembre de 2018)

Trabajadores de salud suspenden labores (Cuarto Poder, 27 de octubre de 2018)

Estalla huelga en sector salud de Chiapas; demandan medicamentos y pago de salarios (Gaceta Mexicana, 27 de octubre de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: repression and arbitrary imprisonment of health-care workers (February 2nd, 2018)

Chiapas: Sector salud denuncia criminalización en su contra (January 22nd, 2018)

Chiapas: Agreement to End Second Nurses’ Hunger Strike in Chiapas (May 29th, 2017)

Chiapas: Nurses Return to Hunger Strike and Denounce Breach of Agreements by State Government (May 4th, 2017)

Chiapas: Nurses Reach Agreements and End Hunger Strike (April 27th, 2017)

Chiapas : Siguen en huelga de hambre ocho enfermeras en Tuxtla Gutiérrez (11 de abril de 2017)

Chiapas: Hunger Strike by Eight Nurses Continues in Chiapas (April 13th, 2017)

Chiapas: Five Nurses Begin Hunger Strike in Tuxtla Gutierrez  (April 4th, 2017)