Ké Huelga Radio: Against the Elections

The following text is a response from Ké Huelga Radio to the CNI (National Indigenous Council) who have decided to run an indigenous candidate in the upcoming elections. 

Eighteen years ago, with the momentum of the student strike of 1999 in the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the foundations were set for Ké Huelga Radio to be born. We were born as a space of free and self-organized communication, characterized by our maintenance of autonomy from the state—its institutions and governments. For that reason, since then until now, our project has not participated in any electoral strategy, nor have its free airwaves served to promote voting or the legitimization of the state. Now, we have reflected on the political directions of the times, and the new patterns of struggle in the electoral arena, including the agreement of the National Indigenous Congress released in January 2017.

We believe the proposal of CNI to participate in the elections with an Indigenous spokeswoman and Indigenous Government Council, within the framework of an independent candidate, opens an unprecedented stage in the political history of the country. For this, like on other occasions, before themes and contexts that we consider important, we want to share with you the posture of the radio within this panorama.

Now, like 18 years ago, we have decided to maintain ourselves outside of political institutions, media campaigns and electoral processes to come. We consider that to unite ourselves and give diffusion to a proposal or initiative that is written within the electoral framework will help to legitimate the political system, which is a fundamental element of the state and capitalism that is killing us daily.

For this reason, as a collective, we have decided as Ké Huelga to not participate in the electoral process and to not promote any type of candidate nor electoral campaign in the upcoming federal elections. We have decided to not be participants in the legitimization of a state and institutions that cause death, war and destruction.

To the nations, towns, neighborhoods and collectives that make up the CNI, we want to say that we recognize and respect you. Many times we have learned from you and your experiences. We will continue sharing your struggles for autonomy and defense of territory.

Our radio project, furthermore, will redouble its efforts to continue existing. We will continue communicating resistance and rebellion of the social struggles in defense of Mother Earth and water, for life, for the presentation of our disappeared, for freedom of political prisoners, against war, against patriarchy and femicides, in defense of the conditions of a dignified life, against capitalism, against the state and for a new world.

Ké Huelga Radio

Free, Social and Against Power

June 2017