March 11, 2020
TO THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF OUR NATION
TO THE PEOPLES OF MEXICO AND THE WORLD
TO THE MUNICIPAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS
TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
TO THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
TO THE HONORABLE PUBLIC OPINION
Through this communique we make public the knowledge that on Saturday, March 7, 2020, our community was alerted about the presence of unidentified, heavily armed persons in the place known as “La Pintada” [The Painted One], which belongs to the indigenous community of Santa Maria Ostula. This place is next to the indigenous community of Coire and the municipality of Chinicuila. The community guard responsible for the security in that part of our territory went to check out the alert about the armed men. The search began at 1:00 am, and having followed their trail, they arrived at the home of C. Martin Nepamceno Domínguez, the personal bodyguard and right-hand man of Cemeí Antonio Verdía Zepeda, both of whom had been expelled from the community on July 21, 2018 for having threatened the community and having links to organized crime.
Upon seeing themselves surprised by the community guard, Martin Nepamuceno and his group shot to kill members of the guard and Ostula’s Chief of Tenancy. Because of the high-powered weapons they used, the community guard retreated to avoid the attack by Martin Nepamuceno and his men, at which point the gunmen fled from the scene. They took with them a CB radio that they used to tell us “they belonged to the CJNG, and that Ostula would be theirs, regardless of who would have to die.”
Cemeí Verdía Zepeda, in his desperation to comply with the promises and agreements made with the New Generation Cartel of Jalisco (CJNG), is orchestrating multiple attacks, such as these last two: one in the municipality of Aquila, and another in the municipality of Chinicuila, shooting up the headquarters and City Hall of Villa Victoria, bringing with them social destabilization, as a consequence of which there no longer exists the peace and tranquility we had lived before Cemeí belonged to the aforementioned criminal group.
Verdía Zepeda is the main connection operating out of Colima to organize attacks by armed groups belonging to the CJNG, with the goal of handing over control of the municipalities of Coalcomán, Chinicuila, Coahuayana and Aquila to them. They are forming groups backed by the CJNG to assassinate, kidnap, kill, torture, and extort, causing fear and anxiety to the people, as has happened in the municipalities mentioned above.
Given this motive, Cemeí has launched a campaign to discredit our community and our struggle for Mother Earth, utilizing social media and a communication outlet by the name of “90 Degrees” which has a preference for giving audience to people supporting the criminal group CJNG. Our indigenous community of Santa María de Ostula is fully recognized by governmental and non-governmental organizations as a community that struggles for its people, its community, for peace, and to be free.
For all of the above, we refute all the false accusations Cemeí Verdía Zepeda has made against our community, as:
– There are no armed groups within our communal territory.
– Our civil and agrarian authorities, and our communal organization, are not in the control of any criminal group.
– The communal guard has not detained, much less disappeared, a single person within or outside of the community.
– Within the indigenous community of Santa María de Ostula, its outlying dwellings, towns, and jurisdictions there are no persons kidnapped or deprived of their liberty.
– Therefore, we hold the criminal Cemeí Verdía Zepeda responsible for any actions, reprisals, or attacks that occur against our community guard, those in charge of keeping order, Chiefs of Tenancy, Commissioners of Community Property, and the members of the indigenous community of Santa María de Ostula.
The indigenous community of Santa María de Ostula is prepared to make any clarifications or respond to inquiries from the media or diverse public authorities.
Sincerely,
NEVER AGAIN A MEXICO WITHOUT US
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARÍA OSTULA
Original Spanish:
https://radiozapatista.org/?p=34251&lang=en