National Guard in Zapatista community
By: Chiapas Paralelo
With the excuse of verifying a complaint about the existence of “pirate” radio antennas, a National Guard (NG) convoy, with 500 members, entered into a community of Zapatista National Liberation Army (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN) supporters located in Huitepec Hill, in San Cristóbal de Las Casas. [1]
According to the residents’ denunciation, the military convoy arrived in the community aboard five armored units, went to some of the homes and detained a resident.
Residents of the community inhabited by indigenous Tsotsils, congregated in the village’s main street where they questioned the soldiers about the incursion and detention of their community member.
They cut off their exit path and demanded the surrender of the detainee. They remained there until around 5 o’clock in the afternoon, when the NG members were allowed to leave the community.
Official sources affirmed that the NG members paid a fine to the community for having entered without its authorization. Four workers from the Communications and Transportation Ministry were with the military convoy.
[1] Huitepec Hill is home to indigenous communities, including a Zapatista community, and to the beautiful Huitepec Ecological Reserve shown below.
Orchids in the Huitepec Ecological Reserve.
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Originally Published in Spanish by Chiapas Paralelo
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Re-Published with English interpretation by the Chiapas Support Committee
Chiapas Support Committee 