A Year of Resilience
PBI’s Mexico Team launches Annual Report
PBI's team in Mexico recently released their annual report, shedding light on persistent human rights challenges in the country. These challenges include shrinking space for civil society organisations, violations against communities fighting against illegal projects endangering their land rights, and the prevailing impunity surrounding human rights violations such as murder, kidnapping, and forced displacement.
The continued militarisation of public security strategies, and the expanding range of economic activities by organised crime groups, are identified as significant contributors to the escalating violence facing individuals, organisations, and communities fighting for human rights.
Furthermore, groups including Human Rights Watch have highlighted that President Lopez's decision to place the National Guard under control of the Secretariat of National Defence (SEDENA) until 2028 poses a serious threat to human rights. PBI’s report also underscores the growing influence of organised crime groups, with 72% of the country under their control.
Despite the notable increase in militarisation and the rise in organised crime, PBI’s team in Mexico was resilient and their report outlines the areas and issues they worked on in 2022:
Supporting the design of the Comprehensive Public Policy for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (PPI) to strengthen state mechanisms to safeguard spaces for human rights defenders.
Working on issues including Land and Territory, Displacement, Forced Internal Affairs, Free Determination of Indigenous Peoples, Forced Disappearance and Torture, Reparation for damage, Truth, Justice and Non-Repetition.
Carrying out scoping in new areas of Morelos and Puebla, and in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacán and Sonora to expand their support.
Participating in a second meeting with communities in Sierra Tarahumara to share and consolidate their experiences and thoughts to more accurately communicate shared experiences to other groups and the authorities.
Making significant progress on various legal procedures that have lasted for years:
Land titling: for the first time an Ódami community has received the title of its territory making a historical legal precedent.
Self-determination: the case of the Tehuerichi community where community representatives have been given the right to have their own death certificates recognised by Mexican authorities.
Damage repair: the case of Bosque San Elías Repechique in his fight for the right to self-determination and use of the funds granted as reparations for the damage their community suffered with the construction of an airport.
Recognized status of victims: the cases of the Communities of the Manzano, Monterde and Coloradas de la Virgen who were displaced because of the violence in their territories. They fight for comprehensive reparations and safe return to their territories.
Providing protective accompaniment to the Peoples’ Front in Defense of Land and Water - Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala in their resistance to the development of the Morelos Integral Project (PIM), a mega project to create an underground gas pipeline and two power plants.
Organising international advocacy trips to increase visibility of the work of human rights activists including Diana Villalobos, Director of CONTEC, Juan Carlos Flores Solís, lawyer and defender of the People’s Front in Defense of Land and Water - Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Marcelina Barranco, a member of the FPDTA-MPT and Peoples States of the Cholulteca region and the Volcanoes.
Producing and distributing various thematic reports and disseminating them through support networks and social networks.
Finally, the report outlines the dedication of staff members, volunteers and donors in 2022.
You can read the full report, published in Spanish, here.
