Chihuahua, Mexico: Military disappears 4 comrades of the MAIZ
We publish an unofficial translation of an article by Periódico Mural:
On August 30, the Zapatista Agrarian Indigenous Movement (MAIZ), an organization affiliated with the National Indigenous Congress – Indigenous Governing Council (CNI-CIG), participated in the united mobilization for the presentation of Dr. Ernesto Sernas García and Sergio Rivera Hernández, the latter a member of said organization.
A couple of days later, MAIZ released terrible news: the forced disappearance of four more of its members. The events occurred in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua, when they were forced to get off the passenger bus they were traveling on at a military checkpoint. Nothing has been heard of them since then.
Comrades Everardo, Fabián, Justino and Eva are agricultural day laborers of Mixtec origin, originally from the community of San Miguel Monte Verde, Oaxaca.
From these pages we express our solidarity with our comrades of the MAIZ, demanding that they be brought back alive and those guilty be punished.
Search and Urgent Demand Bulletin
September 1, 2024
Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca
To the media,
To national and international public,
To the National Indigenous Congress, to human rights, social and democratic
organizations,
To the National Human Rights Commission,
To the National Search Commission.
On August 20, 2024, four comrades from the community of San Miguel Monte Verde, belonging to the municipality of San Antonino Monte Verde, Oaxaca, and members of the Zapatista Agrarian Indigenous Movement, were detained and disappeared at a military checkpoint in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua. They were forced to get off the bus in which they were traveling to Sonora, leaving from the central north of Mexico City. This migrant community survives thanks to the remittances sent by thousands of families who, due to violence, extreme poverty and institutional abandonment by the three levels of government, are forced to emigrate to support their loved ones.
The comrades left their community of San Miguel Monte Verde 13 days ago, and to this day, their whereabouts are unknown. Despite having been reported missing to the Oaxaca Prosecutor’s Office, the lack of action by the authorities of the Oaxaca government forces us to denounce their incompetence. We call upon the corresponding authorities and on society in general to join in the search for our comrades.
Information on missing persons:
1. Name: Everardo Antonio Cruz
– Age:18 years
– Physical Description: Slim build, height 1.68 m, light brown skin.
– Last seen: August 20, 2024 in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua.
– Clothing: Black sweatshirt, black jeans, black sneakers, black and blue backpack.
2. Name: Fabian Leonel Lopez Pena
– Age: 12 years
– Physical Description: Regular build, height 1.50 m, light brown skin.
– *Last seen: August 20, 2024 in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua.
– Clothing: Black pants, dark sweatshirt, red sneakers.
3. Name: Justino Lopez Ortiz
– Age: 36 years old
– Physical Description: Regular build, height 1.70 m, light brown skin.
– Last seen: August 20, 2024 in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua.
– Distinctive features: Tattoo of Saint Jude Thaddeus on the left arm, acne scars on the face.
– Clothing: Sky blue jeans, sky blue t-shirt, black and green sneakers.
4. Name: Eva Peña Cruz
– Age: 30 years
– Physical Description: Robust build, height 1.48 m, light brown skin.
– Last seen: August 20, 2024 in Santa Rosalía, Camargo, Chihuahua.
– Clothing: Navy blue jeans, dark sweatshirt, dark sneakers.
Demand to the Federal Authorities:
We demand that the federal authorities quickly and effectively locate the four missing comrades. Since they were detained at a military checkpoint and have remained missing ever since, we demand that our comrades be returned alive and hold the federal security forces directly responsible for their physical integrity and their lives.
The community demands immediate responses and concrete actions to guarantee their safe return. We will not rest until we obtain justice and the truth about their whereabouts. We announce the beginning of a day of community mobilization until our comrades return alive.
We ask the entire community to help us locate them. If you have information that could help locate them, please contact the local authorities in Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca, at the following numbers:
Prosecutor’s Office: 800 00 77628
Mobile: 951 164 6434
You can also contact the following email addresses:
nolocalizados@fge.oaxaca.gob.mx
Facebook: DNOL-No Localizados
Twitter: @FGEO_DNOL
Because they took them alive and we want them back alive!
Sincerely,
Family.
Zapatista Indigenous Agrarian Movement
