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21 October 2023
The midday sun burns relentlessly on the small patio of Santa María Mixtequilla (SMM) in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, where 50 people have gathered. Some of the women try to keep cool with paper fans, while the men wear large sombreros to alleviate the heat of Istmo. An elderly man stands up and speaks decisively, while the crowd shows their support for his words with subtle movements of their heads: “they want to pay us for a metre of land with the value of a kilo of tortillas”.
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7 February 2023
"In the face of forgetfulness, which contributes to oppression and marginalization, the weapon of memory is vindicated. Memory is fundamental in the life of peoples, since it prevents us from falling into oblivion. Through memory we give meaning and, therefore, stability to human existence. In memory the land is much more than a productive space, since it is full of symbols and endearing references, that is why the old people of Temoac vehemently exclaim 'this land cost blood' in reference to the Zapatista deed 'and that is why it is not for sale'.
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28 June 2021
Human Rights Defenders from Civil Society in Mexico and Europe met through Human Rights Trialogue with representatives of Mexican Government and the European Union
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15 March 2021
On March 10, 2021, PBI-Canada organized a virtual meeting for Isela Gonzalez of Alianza Sierra Madre (ASMAC) in Chihuahua, Neftali Reyes of Services for an Alternative Education (Educa) in Oaxaca, and Rubén Flores from the community of Magdalena Ocotlán.
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17 August 2020
"We oppose development that reduces our forests, that destroys our lands" (...) With the pandemic we will have to live the rest of our lives. "Jorge Sibas, leader of the Brörán people and Costa Rican defender.
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6 April 2020
Located in the south of Mexico, the Isthmus of Tehuántepec crosses both Oaxaca and Veracruz. The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are divided by only around 200km, making this Mexico’s narrowest point. Development projects have been operating in the area since the early 20th century, and PBI has accompanied human rights defenders protecting land and territory – and facing threats for their opposition to such projects – since 2011.“The isthmus, commercial route for the world”
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6 April 2020
“Pasta de Conchos is very important because it will set a precedent for how mining should operate, how workers should be treated, and [show] that companies should think twice before opening mines”, Cristina Auerbach.
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4 February 2020
For more than a decade, totonaca indigenous communities in the Sierra Norte de Puebla have fought for the survival of their traditions and the defense of their territory. In January of this year, they won an important legal battle against the building of a hydroelectric dam with the local municipality revoking the permits for Puebla 1 to be built, due to illegal activities in the administrative processes.
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27 February 2019
Photo credits: ReformaDuring the past few months, PBI along with other national and international organisations, has called attention to the extraordinary risk people defending their territory against economic projects are living through in Mexico and across the whole region of Latin America. During the past weeks these warning have become a reality in Mexico, and unfortunately, the situation we foresaw is beginning to take place.
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7 February 2019
"Whenever a Pasta de Conchos memorial comes up, people seek me out to speak to me and I tell them again why I collect rubbish... As if I did it for fun. My son lived with me and was the one who sustained me... Because of the authorities, I have been working in a rubbish tip since my son died. I leave at six in the morning after drinking a cup of coffee with biscuits. I take a tin of tuna, tortillas or whatever I can eat in the rubbish tip... I get home in the afternoon...
