#ManantialAztecas215: The Struggle Continues

Translated and Submitted to It’s Going Down

2016 was another year of struggle and resistance in the towns, neighborhoods, districts, and Pedegrales de Coyoacán. We faced with dignity the megaprojects of death like the ZODE City of the Future, the transnational Gas Natural Fenosa and the ecocidal real estate project Quiero Casa. In all of the battles, we witnessed the shameless alliance between the delegate government of Mexico City and the Federal government with big business. They want to take away our territory, our history, and our life to carry out their business. But in our towns and neighborhoods we have returned to the root of our history to organize ourselves and defend all that belongs to us. For the first time in our history, we have united the people of Los Reyes, la Candelaria, Ajusco, Santo Domingo, Santa Úrsula and Ruíz Cortínez.

There have been assemblies, forums with organizations and academics, marches, flyers, posters, debates, expositions, and workshops all with the objective to better know and analyze our present situation in order to transform it ourselves. We have become brothers and sisters with other struggles like the fathers, mothers and normalistas of Ayotzinapa, Xochicuautla, Atenco, Acteal, the CNTE, Chanti Ollin, San Francisco Magu, San Pablo Tecalco, Coyotepec, Cherán, El Salto Jalisco, Santa Fé, ANUEE, the National Honorable House of the Student, Construction of the Commons, the National Campaign in Defense of Mother Earth and Territory, and many more. We have learned that solidarity is more than a slogan. We resisted with an encampment at Av. Aztecas 215 for 215 days until the police assault on the early morning of December 5^th when we were evicted.

In spite of the repression, we stood up and returned to Aztecas 215 to show our non-conformity and repudiation of the imposition of apartments at the cost of the destruction of the fresh water spring and the appropriation of the water to benefit a company. The struggle of the encampment and the unification of so many struggles was a grand popular school for everyone. We cannot betray so much neighborly solidarity that was enacted during the encampment; some were guards, others brought fruit, soup, charcoal, cookies and corn.

In short, everyone helped in his or her manner and ability. With great surprise, we saw the arrival of two ducks to #ManatialAztecas215, who together with the sparrows, hummingbirds and cardinals, showed us how beautiful it can be to construct a communitarian and popular green area on the property. We want to tell all those people and organizations that their solidarity with not be let down.

Above all we want to say to all of the neighbors that the organization must continue and that we must move forward with political, judicial, academic, cultural and social actions until we reach the definite cancellation of the work, the expropriation of the property and the construction of a communitarian and popular green area in #ManantialAztecas215. Only the organized people can defend water, territory and life. We will not forget, we will not forgive, and we do not surrender.

Water yes, real estate development no!

The freshwater spring is not capital’s, it is of the Pedegrales!

Expropriation, the only solution!

It will fall, it will fall, I want to house to fall!

Water is life and life is defended!

Asamblea General de los Pueblos, Barrios, Colonias y Pedregales de Coyoacán.
December 31, 2016