On July 5, 2021, Simón Pedro Pérez López, a member of the pacifist group the Bees of Acteal, was murdered. Pérez López supported the complaints of the population against their aggressors, which led to the expulsion of alleged perpetrators from the municipality by Los Machetes.
The armed uprising of Los Machetes led priest Marcelo Pérez to seek a peaceful solution to the local issues. With the endorsement of the Diocese of San Cristóbal, he formed an intermediation commission that also included state and federal authorities. However, the actions of this commission were unsuccessful.
On July 19, 2021, the detention and subsequent disappearance of 19 individuals accused of being part of the group "Los Herrera," considered the armed group of the region, occurred. Relatives of the disappeared accused priest Marcelo Pérez of being involved in these disappearances, which led the Chiapas Prosecutor's Office to issue an arrest warrant against him.
Marcelo Pérez Pérez was born in San Andrés Larráinzar, son of Tsotsil indigenous people and parishioners of the Diocese of San Cristóbal. He received death threats due to his pastoral work amid the increasing activity of criminal groups in Pantelhó and the surrounding municipalities.
The priest publicly denounced economic and political power groups involved in criminal activities in the region. As a result of these denunciations, he faced threats and defamation campaigns, which led to his transfer to the city of San Cristóbal by the Diocese.
Marcelo Pérez Pérez was a defender of human rights and land, accompanying indigenous prisoners, communities affected by violence, dissident teachers, and defenders of territory. He founded the Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (Modevite) and advocated for dialogue even with groups identified as part of organized crime.
The priest, recognized for his work in promoting peace and reconciliation, turned 51 years old on January 16 of this year. In his public interventions, he advocated for dialogue as a means to resolve conflicts in Chiapas and fought for the defense of human rights from his faith and religious commitment.
