Civil organizations warned about the severe violence situation in the state of Chiapas, in southeastern Mexico, describing it as a 'civil war field.' Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez was murdered on Sunday, raising alarm in the region. In a press conference in Mexico City, actress Julieta Egurrola read a collective statement expressing concern.
The whistleblowers recalled previous warnings from the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) about the imminence of a civil war in Chiapas. They expressed that communities like '6 de octubre' have been targeted with threats involving high-powered weapons, rapes, house burnings, and theft of belongings to force them off their land.
Carlos González, from the National Indigenous Congress (CNI), detailed that residents of '6 de octubre' have been threatened by members of the Palestinian community, allegedly related to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The situation has worsened following the murder of Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
González warned about the infiltration of criminal cartels in Mexican state institutions, regardless of the political party in power. He cautioned that the situation relates to the interests of large multinational corporations and projects like the Maya Train in southeastern Mexico.
Activists called on the government to stop the violence and cease collaboration with the cartels, as well as to end militarization in the region. In a statement signed by various collectives and actors, an urgent call was made to halt the deterioration of the situation in Chiapas.
