To our sisters and brothers of the ñhöñhö (Otomí) people of Santiago Mexquititlán, Querétaro:
To the Indigenous Governing Council of Santiago Mexquititlán:
To the peoples of Mexico and the world,
To the organizations and collectives that defend human rights,
To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion,
To the National and International Sexta,
To the signers of A Declaration for Life in the five continents,
To the Insubmissive, Dignified and Rebellious Europe.
The National Indigenous Congress and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation repudiate the police violence with which our ñhöñhö brothers Estela Hernández, Sergio Chávez, Jesús Torres, Leonardo García and Martín Álvarez and two other people whose identities we have not been able to establish were arrested and tortured— in whose bodies were concentrated the hatred and racism that characterize the government of Mauricio Kuri in Querétaro, just as the dispossession and destruction born of the Mexican state and its institutions are concentrated in our Mother Earth and in the native peoples .
Yesterday, Wednesday, June 4, in the community of Santiago Mexquititlán, municipality of Amealco, Querétaro, the State Police of Querétaro (POES) carried out a totally illegal raid in which they arbitrarily detained 6 people, mostly young people, without having committed any crime.
Faced with this abuse of authority, Estela Hernández, member of the Indigenous Council of Government of Santiago Mexquititlán, delegate of the National Indigenous Congress and member of the National Assembly for Water and Life, went to the municipal DIF, where the detainees were taken. When she asked about the reason for the detention and the physical integrity of the detained compañeros, a group of at least 10 police officers detained and physically and sexually assaulted the compañera. In addition to the beatings, they violently told her that “they had had enough of her,” which demonstrates that the attack was clearly intended to intimidate our compañera’s work in defense of the territory and human rights.
Almost 5 hours later, all the compañerxs were released thanks to the action of the people and the solidarity of organizations, collectives and individuals who showed their indignation and demanded their immediate release.
The Autonomous Council of Santiago Mexquititlán has been systematically repressed and attacked for preventing the privatization of water in Querétaro, for stopping the devastation of its territory and for not submitting to colonial projects of death. Today it is again being attacked with the seal of contempt, a few hours after announcing its community assembly in defense of water for Saturday, June 14, which seems to bother those in power who operate as criminals.
Why did they detain Estela and the other compañeros from Santiago Mexquititlán? Because in Querétaro racism is the police protocol par excellence. Because the bad government knows only contempt for the native peoples. Because the bad government only likes submissive indigenous people who are useful to its crimes, not those who fight for life. Because for the bad government, dignity is dangerous.
For young people, jail and kidnappings; for indigenous women who defend their territory and build autonomy in their communities, beatings and physical and sexual torture. Living in indigenous communities, working honestly, documenting human rights violations, defending territory and raising one’s voice are crimes in the eyes of the state.
The presence of the army in the peaceful demonstration that residents of Santiago Mexquititlán and surrounding communities held in the vicinity of the DIF of Amealco, Querétaro, to demand the freedom of our compañeros, is one more example of the generalized war that is taking place in the country, the proof that the armed forces are there to silence the people organized in defense of life and liberty. This is the true face of the Fourth Transformation, the one that was shown a few weeks ago when our comrades Baldemar Sántiz Sántiz and Andrés Manuel Sántiz Gómez were kidnapped and arbitrarily detained in the Tzotzil community of Cotzilnam, municipality of Aldama, Chiapas.
We demand a total halt to the racist and gender-based violence by the State, to the war of extermination unleashed against the peoples of Mexico; We call on the peoples of Mexico and the world, human rights organizations and collectives, the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion, the National and International Sexta, the signatories of A Declaration for Life in the five continents and the Insubmissive, Dignified and Rebellious Europe, to be alert and organized against this war and these repressive actions directed against the original peoples of Mexico and the entire world who are resisting the capitalist storm.
This violence occurs at a time when the so-called “4T” is celebrating a supposedly indigenous minister and boasts of respect for the rights of indigenous peoples. That gentleman, together with his accomplice Adelfo, is another “indigenous” mannequin in the 4T’s showcase, part of the papier-mâché scenery that the new comedy of “Madam President” presents up there for its own consumption. Regardless of the political color, up there it is the same PRI as always. The change is that they went from obscene to downright pornographic, like their social network chats. Compañera Estela is the one who, years ago, coined the phrase “until dignity becomes a custom,” but in bad governments the custom continues to be hypocrisy.
It will continue to be the strength of the people that will tear away the freedom of our brothers and sisters, that will sustain dignity in the face of this war of extermination. We embrace our ñhöñhö brothers and sisters who fight and resist tirelessly for water, life and freedom.
ATTENTIVELY
JUNE 2025
FOR THE INTEGRAL RECONSTITUTION OF OUR PEOPLES
NEVER AGAIN A MEXICO WITHOUT US
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS CONGRESS
ZAPATISTA ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION