The president of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, lamented the death of 18 people who were returning to Oaxaca by bus from an event in the capital. However, she urged to avoid linking this tragic event to practices of coercion or the idea that the deceased were forced to travel against their will.
In a conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum vehemently rejected accusations about coercion for the festival last Sunday in the Zócalo, which was attended by around 350,000 people. The leader responded to several criticisms and testimonies suggesting that some attendees were paid or taken to the gathering against their will.
Sheinbaum emphasized that the current government no longer resorts to coercive practices as had occurred in previous administrations. She stressed that now the population is free to decide whether to attend public events, highlighting that the plazas, like the Zócalo, are no longer filled by paying attendees, as people are currently more aware and participatory in decision-making.
The president reiterated that the presence of buses to transport attendees does not imply that some people were forced to attend, but rather that it was a decision taken voluntarily by those who wished to participate in the gathering. In this regard, Sheinbaum assured that her government does not share or endorse such practices, reaffirming the commitment to freedom and citizen participation.
