Three years and four months after the start of the state administration led by Salomón Jara Cruz of the Morena party, the state of Oaxaca is experiencing an alarming situation regarding human rights, with 33 murders of human rights defenders, according to specialized organizations. These organizations, along with the Space of Civil Society Organizations for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (Espacio OSC), launched a campaign to safeguard the work of journalists and activists.
According to Marcos Leyva Madrid, director of Services for Alternative Education (Educa), although the state government supposedly emerged from social struggle, it acts with an authoritarianism that, while not comparable to that of the 1970s and 80s, is unacceptable in an administration that calls itself democratic.
He explained that the Jara Cruz administration focuses on discrediting and stigmatizing social organizations, which leads to participants in the Protect Dignity campaign—created to highlight the work and challenges in protecting human rights defenders and journalists—suffering “a process of criminalization; lately we have seen attacks against various entities in Oaxaca, not only civil organizations, but also social movements,” which is part of the authoritarian practices taking place in the state.
He considered the most serious issue to be the growing distance between the Jara administration and civil society, a disconnect that originated from within the government apparatus itself, which proclaims peace through its various programs, but in reality uses the police force or shock troops at its service.
He maintained that “in the three years of Salomón Jara’s administration, we have had 33 murders of human rights defenders, three forced disappearances, and two reappearances alive,” placing Oaxaca first in the nation for violence against human rights defenders.
During the launch of the campaign, organized by the Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue (Consorcio), Espacio OSC, and the French Embassy in Mexico, the critical situation faced by human rights defenders and journalists in the state of Oaxaca was highlighted.
Elizabeth Mosqueda, co-director of Consorcio, emphasized that Oaxaca has the second-highest number of people enrolled in the Federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists nationwide. She stressed that this is not an achievement, but rather “proof of the grave threat to the lives of human rights defenders and journalists.”
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the work of those dedicated to protecting human rights, land, and territory, as well as journalists, and the importance of their work.
Mario Cardozo, from Espacio OSC, pointed out that while the Federal Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists exists, the state of Oaxaca lacks such legislation, leaving those who dedicate themselves to these work unprotected.
He added that attacks against these groups have been observed to begin with smear campaigns, criminalization, and attacks on their reputations, the main goal of which is to undermine their credibility in the eyes of society. These types of situations have occurred frequently in Oaxaca.
Source: jornada
