Pages - Menu

Monday, July 19, 2021

Chiapas Communities Rally Behind New Self-Defense Force, Reject Elected Leaders

"Anonymous" for Borderland Beat

Los Machetes were presented to citizens on Sunday.
Thousands of residents from 86 communities in Pantelhó, Chiapas, gathered on Sunday to show their support for a new self-defense force that intends to protect the municipality from organized crime.

The Tzotzil Mayan residents also declared that they don’t recognize the legitimacy of the current and incoming municipal governments and will choose new authorities.

A self-defense group made up of some 100 men armed with assault weapons and machetes was presented on Sunday to the residents of Pantelhó, a municipality in the Altos de Chiapas (highlands) region where several crime groups operate.

Called Autodefensas del Pueblo El Machete, the self-defense force announced its formation on Saturday, saying it would expel sicarios (gunmen), drug traffickers and other members of organized crime from the municipality in order to avoid more deaths of indigenous residents.

The locals offered their support to the group, denounced the presence of organized crime in their communities and expressed their desire to live in peace and freedom, the newspaper Milenio reported.

They blamed a criminal group called Los Herrera for a recent wave of homicides and asserted that it has links to the municipal government. Residents also denounced another armed group called Los Capotes and accused municipal police of constantly harassing them.

Los Ciriles, a group allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), also operates in Pantelhó.

Los Machetes are armed with assault weapons and machetes.
A spokesperson for Pantelhó residents said the “narco-council” has been murdering Tzotzil people for the past two decades, forcing locals to take up arms. He said that sicarios linked to Democratic Revolution Party governments have controlled Pentalhó communities during the past 20 years, a period during which residents say almost 200 indigenous people have been killed.

Many people have been displaced due to the violence, although some returned to their communities this month after federal security forces were deployed.

During a meeting on Sunday, residents called on the Chiapas government to investigate Mayor Delia Janeth Velasco Flores for links to crime and annul the results of the June 6 election at which her husband, Raquel Trujillo Morales, was elected as the new mayor. Trujillo is in cahoots with organized crime and should be jailed, they said.

The residents said they intend to choose their own political representatives who will administer the municipality using a traditional from of government known as usos y costumbres.

The head of the Commission for Dialogue with the Indigenous Peoples of Mexico attended the meeting and assured residents she would take their concerns to authorities. Josefina Bravo Rangel also said that authorities are committed to bringing peace to Pantelhó, located about 60 kilometers northeast of San Cristóbal de las Casas.

San Cristóbal Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar called on authorities to act to put an end to violence in Pantelhó and neighboring Chenalhó, where armed conflict has also caused large numbers of people to flee.

“… Thousands of people have decided to leave their homes. … There are many women and children among these people, pregnant women have given birth in this situation … of displacement. It appears that some people have returned to their places [of origin], we don’t know how many, but there continues to be thousands of displaced persons,” he said.

Sources: Milenio; MND

25 comments:

  1. good news for chiapas.keep fighting the scum

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bravo, this will pressure the government to wake up.

    Long term may not be good if this autodefensa goes rogue como CU.

    My butt itches Kathi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah right, like if all the weaponry on the pictures isn't cartel provided.

      Delete
    2. Ding ding ding!! Bingo! My thoughts exactly.

      Delete
  3. I wonder what amlo will say now, this is his home state

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @3:12 Isn't him from Tabasco?

      Delete
    2. Yea he is from tabasco, 3:12 por eso no habras la boca sin saver

      Delete
  4. Frankin boot did join but he got involved in meth and turned out to be a crazy big head honcho

    ReplyDelete
  5. You see, guns are de facto legal in Mexico.

    Corey Feldman

    ReplyDelete
  6. Who knew there was so much violence in Chiapas. I don't see it in the media.

    Back in the day pre Spanish the Maya were not peaceful. Like the Aztecs they also sacrificed children and mutilated bodies. I got a bad feeling we are going to see chaos if the government stands by.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Maya were in Mexico?

      Delete
    2. hey genius , in case you haven't noticed , there already is chaos and the government is already standing by.

      Delete
    3. "Back in the day pre Spanish the Maya"
      Blah blah blah,shurrruupp balloon head

      Delete
  7. That's what is needed more self defense groups, since it's government cannot protect it's citizens from violence.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sadly, they are fucked. I want the decent people to prevail, but, well...we know how this works in the long run.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And may i add,ad infinatum
      Mrs H

      Delete
    2. Miss Heather Herrera
      What's the story on the avacado farmers that armed up to protect thier farms and town? Wondering if there still active, or the Army did disarmed them?

      Delete
    3. Label me clueless,gringo lady. I'm the one always asking questions on here to you guys. With great love, MISS H

      Delete
    4. Infinity...never ending shit storm would be my answer. With great love, Ms. H

      Delete
    5. I assume the protectorate of the sacred avocado are low and behold just another powerful group claiming to be ' protectors' of the little people.

      Delete
    6. No idea, just my perspective. I think auto defence groups begin with good intentions (?), but then either get corrupted from within or eventually realize at a time of conflict they lack the resources and munitions and have to get outside help from a more financially stable group (established with more guns, money, etc) then it turns into a different kind of monster.
      Seriously, I would love to hear outside perspectives on this, including yours. Thanks, h

      Delete
  9. Just when cjng started making there presence in chiapas go figure no one likes them in their state

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mexican government xant stand poor people trying to defend themselves. Watch AMLO-co send army to this town and destroy the movement and pave ways for the cartels at same time. Mexicocoa is one messed up country

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, refer to policy for more information.
Envía fotos, vídeos, notas, enlaces o información
Todo 100% Anónimo;

borderlandbeat@gmail.com