Chiapas and a Precarious Context

Pilgrimage and protest of indigenous communities for Father Marcelo

Chiapas wasn't a context I was familiar with when I arrived to Mexico. I've lived in Nicaragua mostly, and I know much more about Central American countries than Mexico. However, the context of any place is incredibly important to the agroecology movement and any movement seeking social and environmental change. Trying to simplify social and environmental issues down to a technical fix and the ideal sustainable practices doesn't work, because we don't exist in a vacuum. This all exists in a complex, violent and power-hungry system.

Padre Marcelo

I had learned about the context of Chiapas from the people I met, but it became abruptly real when Father Marcelo, a Catholic, indigenous priest in San Cristobal de Las Casas was killed in the street after giving mass on October 20, 2024. I was supposed to travel to a community the next day, but the activity was canceled due to the tragic and sudden news... There is still little known information about who assassinated him, but it wasn't a total surprise to him or those who knew him. Over the years Father Marcelo had received threats due to his activism in advocating for indigenous rights and peace in communities in Chiapas. He denounced criminal activity and the complicity of authorities for the violence in indigenous communities such as Pantelhó. As a catholic priest, he used the word of God to respond to the reality that many indigenous people face in the region. Padre Marcelo saw his work as “to weep with those who weep, to suffer with those who suffer,” and most importantly, “to walk with them.”

Signs carried during the pilgrimage

This oppression isn't new. There is a history of oppression against indigenous communities in Chiapas. Notably, the Acteal massacre, on December 22, 1997, in which 45 indigenous Tsotsil people were killed by paramilitaries trained to combat the EZLN (Zapatistas). Brave people like Father Marcelo risk their lives to challenge and change this reality. I wasn't familiar with Father Marcelo and had never met him, but he impacted many, many people.

A week after his death, a huge pilgrimage of thousands of people from indigenous communities all over Chiapas arrived to denounce the violence and mourn the loss of the beloved Father Marcelo. They held signs with his face that read "Justice for Padre Marcelo". They held other written signs that said "We demand justice," "Fuera Carteles," "Fuera Crimen Organizado," "Fuera los proyectos de muerte," and "End the violence in Chiapas." They chanted "Marcelo, amigo, the people are with you!" "Que viva Padre Marcelo!" As one person chanted "Viva la justicia y dignidad!" everyone else responded "Viva!" They then chanted "Alto al desplazamiento forzado!" and the crowd responded "Alto!" Then "Alto al narcopolitica!" "Alto!" Etc. There was a lot of energy, emotion and unity.

A poster of Padre Marcelo in a church in northern Chiapas

Many Interests in Chiapas-

A Resource Rich and Geographically Desired Region

Part of why this violence is going on is because Chiapas is an economically strategic territory. It is a major transportation zone due to its position on the southernmost border of Mexico. The control of territory is disputed for the movement of goods and people that occur, both legally and illegally. There is arms trafficking and human trafficking that occur across the state. There is also interest in megaprojects in the region such as the controversial Mayan Train and Transisthmic Train (Tren Maya y Tren Transístmico). Chiapas has a desirable geographic position that allows trains to connect the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific so that more commercial movement can occur between Asia and Africa. There is also interest in mining, hydrocarbons, timber and other natural resources in Chiapas. Finally, tourism is a booming business in Chiapas for its natural beauty and historical sites. Because of all of this economic importance, there is lots of corruption and struggle over control..

In response, some organizations are working to strengthen community ties to defend their territories in peaceful ways. This is challenging because the paramilitary and organized crime even work within communities, poaching young people in vulnerable situations who have limited land or limited opportunities. This creates divisions within the same community. In response, human rights organizations work to promote the "common" (el común) and bring communities together through awareness and analysis of the reality they are living, cultural activities, sports, workshops, agroecology, etc. These alternative movements believe that change won't come from a new political party but rather from the people understanding their reality & context and organizing themselves.

Popular education tool used to analyze the context of violence in Chiapas