By: Elio Henríquez

San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas

Thousands of indigenous Choles from the community of Frontera Corozal, municipality of Ocosingo, marched peacefully this Friday to demand the presence of federal security forces, due to the fact that members of narco-trafficking organizations seek to collect floor rights (protection money).

The demonstrators – 7,000, according to community authorities – said that because it is a border point, the government must put more interest and reinforce security in the area.

Today we demonstrate to show the federal government and the entire world that we are peaceful communities and peoples. We want peace; Frontera Corozal, as its name implies, is the gateway to the Lacandón Jungle and Mexico, but the organization must also prevail, they said.

We have the same problem as the community of Nueva Palestina, because the drug trafficking groups want to enter to charge the inhabitants a flat fee and that is why we are demanding that there be security, they said.

They pointed out that they are on par with Nueva Palestine, where 4,000 inhabitants marched on Thursday to also demand the presence of federal and state forces.

They remarked: we are indigenous and we are used to living in peace, tranquility and working calmly in what we are used to, which is to cultivate the land.

The march began at the entrance arch to the town and after walking two kilometers concluded in the central square. A banner with the legend: Mr. President of the Republic. We demand security for the Lacandón area, particularly in Frontera Corozal (sic), led the mobilization.

They affirmed that they marched to fulfill the agreement that the Frontera Corozal assembly took on Thursday because the situation is getting worse every day due to insecurity.

He added that in the last three years, the territory of the Lacandón has been invaded by organized crime, which with impunity has been increasingly seizing control of its jungle, opening clandestine airstrips for the transfer of cocaine, controlling the trafficking of undocumented immigrants and floor rights of floor to small merchants, as well as quotas to tourism service providers; carrying out forced evictions of hundreds of families, disappearing people and committing femicides.

Originally Published in Spanish by La Jornada, Saturday, September 9, 2023, https://www.jornada.com.mx/2023/09/09/estados/022n1est and Re-Published with English interpretation by the Chiapas Support Committee