Indigenous Communal Guard of Santa María Ostula Repels Cartel Attack

Communique from the Indigenous Nahua community of Santa María Ostula following a recent attack by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

To the People of Mexico and the World

To the National and International Press

To the Human Rights Defenders

To the Mexican Government

To the National and International Civil Society

On February 1, 2024, around 5:30 in the afternoon, an armed commando of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), made up of at least 50 people, entered our communal territory. They attacked a house belonging to the Cofradia, and seeing that nobody was there, they set the house ablaze

During the attack, the criminal group injured a community member who thanks to quick action is in stable condition. Some elements of our Communal Guard, fulfilling their duty to protect the community, repelled the armed commando and managed to get the criminal group to leave our territory.

Thanks to our Communal Guard these criminal interests have not been fulfilled. We will continue on the front line guaranteeing the security and tranquility of our community.

We have sufficient information to determine that those behind the attack are people who have betrayed our community, joining the ranks of the CJNG, like Cemeí Verdía, who on repeated occasions has led attacks against Ostula.

We have reached our limit. Our community is going to do everything necessary so that our families and community achieve justice, so that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is disarticulated and done away with in our region.

It is important to mention that not only has the context in the region not improved, but recently there has been an increase in armed attacks by this criminal group against our Communal Guard. However, thus far we have been able to keep these criminals at bay.

What have the Michoacán government and the National Guard done to guarantee justice, so that these criminal attacks aren’t repeated? Absolutely nothing. On the contrary, the state government has not stopped criminalizing our Communal Guard regardless of the fact that the Sixth District Judge in Uruapan ordered state authorities to not carry out any action seeking to disarticulate our Communal Guard.

Meanwhile, the National Guard, the Civil Guard, and the Public Prosecutor of the state cover for and protect the CJNG.

We demand the immediate disarticulation of the CJNG and punishment for the crimes committed against Ostula and the communities of the region.

February 2, 2024

Never More a Mexico Without Us

Sincerely,

Indigenous Nahua Community of Santa María Ostula