About a thousand people, relatives and friends of 21 disappeared in Pantelhó, Chiapas, almost two years ago, marched through the center of San Cristóbal de las Casas to demand justice for the case.
The protesters demanded the appearance of their relatives, who were kidnapped by members of the armed group known as “El Machete”, arguing that they were looking for people related to organized crime.
The disappeared were taken from their homes by members of “Los Machetes”, a group made up of Tzeltal and Tzotzil indigenous people and led by a Tzotzil priest known as “Father Marcelo”, who has an arrest warrant issued by the Attorney General’s Office. of the State of Chiapas.
“’The Machetes’ took them, that father Marcelo, he took them, all the machetes, they took them, what I ask is that he hand over my son, that Pantelhó councilor, that councilor president who says they are hitmen, let him check it out, give me my son and let him check it out for me,” said Francisca, a relative of one of the disappeared.
Different parishes from Tenejapa, San Juan Cancún, Chamula, Zinacantán, Chenalhó, as well as from the northern zone of Chiapas participated in the mobilization.
During the event, the participants criticized the militarization of the territories, the privatization of education and health, as well as the fabrication of crimes and torture of native peoples.
Marcelo Pérez Pérez, parish priest of the church of San Cristóbal de las Casas, called on the governments of the three levels to work for the common good to guarantee justice, peace and the human rights of the population.
Although activists and residents have warned of a “climate of war” in Chiapas, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured during a visit on June 23 that “in general there is peace and tranquility.”
Source: Latinus
