
Mexico: Weekly Newsletter
We publish an unofficial translation of the Mexico part of the weekly newsletter published in Solrojista.
Mexico. Peasants and people from el Ejido of the Defense Movement of the Libres-Oriental Basin were brutally repressed by the State anti-riot police and the Civil Force of Veracruz last Thursday 20th of June while they were making a sit-in and blocking the Perote-Puebla federal highway. The sit-in started the day before to demand a dialogue table with the federal and State governments. The peoples of the region accuse the big landlord company Granjas Carroll of eviction, looting and contamination of land and water in Totalco and nearby communities, since the company has more than one hundred facilities in the region, causing an “environmental hell” in words of the residents. Two farmers were murdered there and hundreds were injured by beatings, gunshot wounds and asphyxiation caused by the tear gas. As expected, the masses not only did not retreated, but returned some blows and set up barricades maintaining their position. The demonstrations are still continuing. After the events and the statements from different progressive sectors, the Morenista government of Cuitláhuac García reported on the dissolution of the Civil Force as a group of elite of the State police and on the environmental verification of the measures in which this big landlord company operates. However, today the main demand of the communities is the definitive closure of all Granjas Carroll facilities. In solidarity with the Defense Movement of the Libres-Oriental Basin has been published the following Statement that we share below:
Social organizations, defenders of the territory, academics and citizens we speak out against the brutal repression that the government of Veracruz exercised against residents of the Libres-Oriental Basin who defend their territory.
Context:
The Libres-Oriental Basin is a large area that has recently been the target of a large group of transnational companies due to its strategic importance derived from its privileged location, as well as the availability of natural resources, mainly water.
Facing the siege of large companies, the residents have defended their territory in front of the threat of environmental deterioration due to the use of agrochemicals, over-exploitation of water wells and the disposal of highly contaminated water, as well as the looting of minerals.
Historically the residents of the region have denounced the environmental damage caused by Granjas Carroll. Intensive use of drinking water and sewage disposal contaminated with biological and chemical waste have become a focus of infection for the population, in addition to making more difficult the access to water for agricultural and domestic use.
Facts
On June 20, 2024, a group of residents from various communities in the Libres-Oriental Basin, carrying out their right to free demonstration and after trying to use all the institutional instances, they went to a peaceful demonstration in the area occupied by Granjas Carroll. At 12:00h a group of public security from the State of Veracruz arrived at the place where the protesters were. Without dialogue, the security forces attacked protesters with firearms, causing the death of two young men and their father, peasants who were defending their right to live in a healthy environment, their right to work, access to water and to food.
During the operation, hundreds of people were beaten and an undetermined number of peasants are still injured in their homes with gunshot wounds and some others in hospitals.
According to testimonies from the victims, the residents were persecuted by the State police and people dressed in civilian clothes to their homes, where they were brutally attacked.
At the moment a yet undetermined number of protesters are serving as disappeared, since according to testimonies they were captured by members of the security forces of the State of Veracruz.
Due to the previously mentioned, we who sign this document, strongly condemn the repression against peoples in defense of their territory, implemented by the security forces of the State of Veracruz governed by Cuitláhuac García Jimenez.
We demand that a thorough investigation be carried out, that follows the leadership until reaches the person or people accountable; repair of damage; public acknowledgment on the part of those responsible and expeditious justice in favor of the people.
We demand the appearance with life of the protesters captured by the security forces, the immediate release of those detained and the cessation of legal persecution to the defenders of the territory.
We demand also the departure of Granjas Carroll from that region and the unrestricted respect for Mexican regulations on environmental matters by the installed companies in the region and national territory.
We stand in solidarity with the bereaved and with the communities in resistance.
We speak for a country where those who work the land never again have to suffer so that we can all have food on our tables.
Quick an firm justice for the peoples of the Libres-Oriental Basin.