AWARDED THE 2023 TATA VASCO RECOGNITION.
Mexico City, November 28, 2023.
With one month left in the year, our despair increases, as residents of all ages living in the country and in Guerrero are direct or indirect victims of violence. Disappearances, executions, femicides, displacement, the penetration of criminal groups into indigenous territory, the mothers and fathers of our 43 fellow students from Ayotzinapa who disappeared on September 26 and 27, 2014 (the most emblematic case of forced disappearances today). Nothing has been resolved; on the contrary, the numbers are increasing. Today, even the forces of nature have taken their toll on our poorest brothers and sisters in Acapulco, and politicians from all parties and governments have been perfectly prepared to generate the media impact they need.
The shooting attack on November 28th, where after covering the story of the intentional homicide against a public transport van driver, according to social networks, 3 journalists were injured who respond to the names of; Jesus de la Cruz Nava, 24, from the media outlet Reporte Guerrero, whose condition is most delicate due to a gunshot wound to the neck, Victor Mateo Francisco from the media outlet Portal Guerrero al Instante, and Oscar Guerrero, 31, from the media outlet Primer Plano, both in serious condition. This fact adds to the attacks, home invasions and theft of work tools, harassment, kidnappings-disappearances, kidnappings and displacement of workers from various media outlets, illustrating the risk for human rights defenders, journalists, social activists and the people in general. The three levels of the current government, following the maxim of “generate chaos to impose order”, just as previous governments allowed narco-paramilitary and criminal groups to grow and strengthen and, in their fight to obtain as much power as possible, they develop a war where each group shows how bloodthirsty they can be, competing not only for control of the national territory but to be the government’s favorite. On the other hand, all power is handed over to the army and a Militarized National Guard is created. Both are directed against narco-paramilitary and criminal groups, except in a few cases, which are carried out more to please US imperialism than to guarantee peace and security for the people. This shows us that despite the “progress” and “changes” that some see in this government, the reality is that things are worse.
Recent events support what we are saying: the journalists who disappeared and were kidnapped in Taxco in the second half of November, as well as the attacks, harassment of all kinds, and forced internal displacement of various media workers, without any investigation or punishment of those responsible.
The high-risk situation, forced internal displacement, delegitimization, harassment and threats suffered by Human Rights Defenders as is the case with the members of the Morelos Center and the risks run by the legal representatives of the mothers and fathers of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa, risks that grow to the extent that they maintain their accusations about the participation of the army in the events in Iguala as well as the concealment of information, this becomes very complicated because if the information that the army has is available, it is very possible that the participation of high-level politicians from the State of Guerrero who currently hold elected positions at the federal level would also be known.
On the issue of displacement, after more than two years since displaced families from the municipalities of Zitlala, Leonardo Bravo and Elidoro Castillo filed a complaint with the CNDH for these events, finally on September 29, 2023, it issued recommendation 171 – 2023, which for the victims and their representatives is a great advance since they will be able to count on the status of victims and when the time comes, they will have access to relocation and reparation for damages, although, as we previously denounced, when in April of this year, when holding meetings with federal institutions, the state government and municipal authorities to begin to outline the route for the solution of these two demands, relocation and reparation for damages, the threats against the director of the Morelos Center, the representatives of the various communities increased, making it very obvious that behind this increase in risk are the state and municipal authorities. Even now there are already several families who have had to leave Chichihualco. and Chilpancingo, some are even applying for asylum in the United States and Canada. It is clear that the state and municipal governments, under the cover of the federal government, prefer to pay narco-paramilitary and criminal groups to terrorize families so they will abandon their claims or leave the country.
In light of this worrying situation:
We hold the federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Guerrero, headed by Lieutenant Colonel Sandra Luz Valdovinos Salmerón, responsible for all aggression, harassment, threats, and any physical and psychological harm suffered by the legal representatives of the displaced families, the mothers and fathers of the 43 Ayotzinapa students who disappeared on September 26 and 27, 2014, as well as the representatives of the various collectives of families of the disappeared, social activists, and journalists.
Sincerely,
Teodomira Rosales Sierra, Ms.
Director of the Morelos Center