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| People gather to protest the murder of environmentalist Samir Flores Soberanes |
The
Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) informed in a recent publication
that 83 environmentalists were killed in Mexico between 2012 and 2019, making
Mexico one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmentalists.
In 2019 alone, the CEMDA registered 39
violent acts against environmentalists; 15 of them were homicides. Between
2012 and 2019, the CEMDA reported 499 violent cases and 83 homicides.
The sector that observed the most attacks was the energy sector with 20.5 percent. Violence spiked in 2013 after President Enrique Pena Nieto pushed to reform Mexico's energy sector. In December 2013, the Congress of Mexico made several amendments to permit private and foreign investment in this sector for the first time in decades.
CEMDA's publication was compiled by using over 200 print and digital publications from local and national media outlets
across Mexico since 2012.
According to the report, the following
attacks were reported for each of the years: 2012 (24 attacks); 2013 (64
attacks); 2014 (78 attacks); 2015 (107 attacks); 2016 (85 attacks); 2017 (54
attacks); 2018 (49 attacks); and 2019 (39 attacks).
The states in Mexico with
the highest number of violent cases were Oaxaca (79 attacks), Sonora (49
attacks) and State of Mexico (48 attacks).
Impunity remains the norm in most of these cases. Though it is very likely that environmentalists are threatened for economic or political interests, very few crimes are ever solved and investigations are left unanswered. As generalized violence is normalized in Mexico with the ongoing drug war, killings of environmentalists are becoming the norm, too.
Impunity remains the norm in most of these cases. Though it is very likely that environmentalists are threatened for economic or political interests, very few crimes are ever solved and investigations are left unanswered. As generalized violence is normalized in Mexico with the ongoing drug war, killings of environmentalists are becoming the norm, too.
Notable murder cases
One of the most notable cases was the
murder of environmentalist Samir Flores Soberanes, as reported by Borderland Beat. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had
stated prior to the murder that the environmentalist group that Samir belong to
opposed the creation of a thermoelectric plant that the Mexican government
wanted to build in Morelos, Samir's home state.
On 20 February 2019, Samir was shot twice in the head outside his home. His death drew thousands of people in protest across streets in Mexico City. "Samir didn't die, the government killed him", protesters cried. His murder is currently unsolved.
Two months ago, in 22 January 2020,
monarch butterfly activist Homero Gómez González was kidnapped
in Michoacán, as reported by Borderland Beat. He was found dead two days later. His corpse was
found floating in a well and had visible signs of torture.
Homero dedicated his life to protect
monarch butterfly habitats. Environmentalists said his death may be been
triggered over logging and land disputes. The forests where the monarchs live are threatened by
illegal logging and avocado farmers. His murder is also unsolved.
Informe Personas Defensoras... by MX on Scribd
Blame AMLO all you want, but find out first how any shares of the thermoelectrica are or will be his.
ReplyDeleteThe corporation's executives need to be lie detectored first.
"Save the planet? We don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven't learned how to care of one another. We're going to save the fucking planet? I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is that there aren't enough bicycle paths. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here 4-1/2 billion years. We've been here, what, 100,000, maybe 200,000? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over 200 years. Two hundred years vs. 4-1/2 billion. And we have the conceit to think that somehow we are a threat? That somehow we are gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little green ball that's just floating around the sun. The planet has been through a lot worse than us. The planet isn't going anywhere — we are."
ReplyDelete-George Carlin
Excellent post.... Props!
DeleteMexico-Watcher
We all have a responsibility to care for our planet.
DeleteOk... then how many more tons of carbon can we put into the atmosphere before it becomes a problem? If we aren't careful, then we absolutely pose a threat to this beautiful green ball.
DeleteI read today the city matamoro close the bridge entering Mexico, I can't believe that,
ReplyDeleteUnrelated to this story but Cabo 20 just got arrested in Queretaro
ReplyDelete