Indigenous Prisoner in Struggle Marcelino Ruíz Gómez Shows Solidarity with Journalists Under Attack in Mexico

Statement from Indigenous prisoner in struggle Marcelino Ruíz Gómez showing solidarity with journalists in Mexico after three journalists have already been killed just this year

To the Zapatista Army of National Liberation

To the Human Rights Defenders

To the National and International Sixth

To the National Indigenous Congress

To the Indigenous Governing Council

To the Media

To the Believers

To the Organized Civil Society

To the People of Mexico and the World

Dear compañeras and compañeras, sisters and brothers, I send my greetings with much love from behind these four walls.

As Tzotzil prisoners, we are appreciative of the support, accompaniment, and solidarity we have received. Thank you for being attentive to us and our journey through these cold and dark corridors. We continue without lowering the torch of hope because we know that we are not alone, and that many of you are weaving ties of justice, and planting seeds of consciousness, to harvest justice, hope, freedom, and dignity.

We know that the oppressor enemy, the capitalist beast, the powerful, and the corrupt politicians, have structured the political system in their own benefit. It has served them to oppress our people by appropriating our territories, dispossessing us of our lands, poisoning our rivers, killing, disappearing, enslaving, and imprisoning. And the media bombard us with manipulated information, hiding the truth and publishing lies. They want to make society believe in service of their bosses, the powerful.

How many good-hearted journalists have been assassinated or disappeared, only for reporting the truth, and calling out lies? Some journalists are even in prison.

For all of this we seek justice, and that we come together to continue walking, those of us who choose life and freedom. We must continue organizing ourselves as brothers and sisters to together defend our people, our mother earth, our roots. We must live in accordance with our hearts and continue resisting with dignified rebellion.

Until we are all free!

Sincerely,

Marcelino Ruíz Gómez

Organization Viniketik en Resistencia

January 28, 2022

CERSS No. 10 Comitán, Chiapas, México