According to a release published by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), after eight days of kidnapping, the day of yesterday they released two of their companions: Sebastían Nuñez Perez and Jose Antonio Sanchez Juarez.
The EZLN holds the Regional Organization of Coffee Growers of Ocosingo (ORCAO) responsible, whom he describes as a paramilitary political-military organization. In the statement they also warn that this group possesses uniforms, equipment and weapons obtained from the money that comes to them through social programs. “With those weapons they shoot every night against the Zapatista community of Moisés and Gandhi,” they accuse.
However, although they do point to ORCAO as the material authors of the kidnapping, They accuse that it was the governor of the entity, Rutilio Escandón, who gave the order.
The EZLN makes it clear that if the situation did not escalate, it was thanks to the intervention of parish priests who live in the town, as well as non-governmental organizations, who helped resolve the conflict. However, they assure that their authorities they have already taken actions to “arrest and punish those responsible for the crime.”
The members of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation also issued an ultimatum to the government of Rutilio Escandón. They threaten that next time there will no longer be a statement, but actions.
Rutilio Cruz Escandón Cadenas He is originally from Chiapas. His political career began within the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). However, for 2017, his candidacy for the government of the entity was presented affiliated with the National Regeneration Movement party (Morena). The governor won the elections with 39.08% of the total votes cast.
Entity media such as Chiapas Parallel and other nationals like The universal, have published about the rumors about the possible replacement of the governor. In Chiapas The phenomenon of having several governors in the same period is not alien to them, either because they are called to form part of the presidential cabinet, or because the tensions within the state are too great.
To the hostile environment that exists in Chiapas due to protests by the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), now the EZLN threat is added. Although for 20 years it has not happened that the governor of the entity is replaced, this year suspicions reappeared of a possible departure of Rutilio Escandón ordered by the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Nevertheless, the EZLN is alien to the political game between the capital and the state. They limit themselves to calling the López Obrador government the “bad government” just as they have done with previous presidencies. Regarding Rutilio Escandón, the statements in the statement are serious:
“Their alliances with drug trafficking cause indigenous communities to be forced to form self-defense groups, because the government does nothing to preserve the life, liberty and property of the inhabitants. The Chiapas government not only overlaps drug gangs, it also encourages, promotes and finances paramilitary groups such as those that continually attack communities in Aldama and Santa Martha ”
The EZLN also blames the Morenoist government for the demonstrations of the teachers for “sabotaging” the agreements. Furthermore, the members of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation do not forget that under Rutilio’s government, they repressed the protests of the normalistas students of Mactumactzá.
The complaints began because the government asked the normalistas to carry out the procedures to access the normal school through the internet, in an identity where the service is not guaranteed. The result was that the government jailed a group of 95 students, 74 women and 21 men. During the arrest, there were reports of police violence, in addition to sexual violence against women.
The EZLN calls for a demonstration for next September 24.
To end the statement, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation declares:
“Given the action and omission of state and federal authorities in the face of current and previous crimes, we will take the pertinent measures so that justice is applied to ORCAO criminals and officials who sponsor them.
That’s all. For another time there will be no communication. I mean there will be no words but deeds“
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