Mexico City | Desinformémonos. The Abejas de Acteal have denounced human rights violations committed by the official security group “Los Pakales,” who engage in “abuses of authority” during operations carried out in municipalities and certain communities in Chiapas, and have been accused of theft, extortion, and forced disappearance.
“In recent days, their alleged ties to organized crime have been revealed—from whom were they receiving money? But it is striking that the state government has ‘instructed’ the Anti-Corruption Secretariat to thoroughly investigate them, so that any officials linked to organized crime face the full force of the law. “Are the same authorities going to investigate themselves—in other words, will they be both judge and jury?” Las Abejas asked.
The pacifist organization noted that the fact that municipal authorities are also identified as allies of organized crime “is nothing new,” since in 1997 the mayor was arrested “for being an accomplice to the paramilitaries” who carried out the massacre.
“In Mexico, there is no political will to investigate, and justice is only selective,” as demonstrated by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) when, in 2009, it released—‘without hearing the testimony of the survivors’—the confessed paramilitaries involved in the 1997 Acteal massacre, denounced Las Abejas de Acteal.
“Justice is for those who can buy it,” charged the pacifist organization, which on March 22 marked another month since the massacre in Chiapas and criticized how the Mexican state “has denied its responsibility” and “continues to fuel impunity for the attack” carried out by paramilitaries from Chenalhó, “with the government’s complicity.”
In light of the human rights violations against the community since 1997, Las Abejas demanded respect for human rights during operations by the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force, as well as an investigation into and the disarmament of armed groups “that promote violence in the communities.”
The full statement follows:
To the National Indigenous Congress
To the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
To Human Rights Defenders
To Independent and Alternative Media
To National and International Media
To National and International Civil Society
Sisters and Brothers:
The drought we are experiencing in our communities is akin to the drought of violence and injustice we have endured for more than 28 years—a period during which the Mexican government has denied its responsibility for the Acteal massacre, a denial that fuels the impunity surrounding the attack suffered by our brothers, by the Chenalhó paramilitaries, with the government’s complicity, despite the complaints we filed at the time to prevent the violence planned by the government of Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, and the dirty work was carried out by the paramilitaries.
Our memory does not forget the truth and justice that the state denies, but despite this, they have not been able to silence us; we continue to resist by shouting the truth of Acteal, because as Jesus, our Teacher, said, “Then you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE” (John 8:32), and the truth remains on our side.
In recent times, we have also spoken out to denounce human rights violations committed by the Pakales, as well as abuses of authority during operations they carry out in other municipalities and in some of our communities, where they have been accused of theft, extortion, and forced disappearance. And, in recent days, their alleged ties to organized crime—from whom they allegedly received money—have been revealed. But it is striking that the state government has “instructed” the Anti-Corruption Secretariat to investigate them thoroughly, so that any officials linked to organized crime face the full force of the law. Are the same authorities going to investigate themselves—in other words, will they be both judge and jury?
The fact that municipal authorities are also being accused of being allies of organized crime is nothing new; they have a history of this. In 1997, the mayor went to jail for being an accomplice to the paramilitaries.
In Mexico, there is no political will to investigate, and justice is only served selectively, as demonstrated by the Supreme Court when it released the confessed paramilitaries on August 12, 2009 (without hearing the survivors’ testimony), when the Center for Economic Research and Teaching, Inc. (CIDE) lent itself to the cause or sold out—we do not know—but it became clear to us that justice is for those who can buy it.
It has been 20 years since we filed the Acteal case with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and 15 years since it was admitted. During this time, many relatives of the victims have passed away without having seen justice from the federal government. We have urged the IACHR to publish the Merits Report in Case 12.790, Manuel Santiz Culebra et al. (Acteal Massacre), Mexico, because it is a necessity and a right that the survivors are entitled to.
“You have the opportunity to open that door and walk together toward truth and justice; we need your support” (Regional Hearing on the Effects of Denialism on Policies of Memory, Truth, and Justice, organized by the Network of Memory Sites of Latin America and the Caribbean (RESLAC), March 10, 2026
It also pains us that violence seeks to take over life on the planet, with wars driven by economic interests. But what good are money and power if life is lost? Wars leave only mutilated bodies, poverty, destruction, and death; they have never had a future. Wars do not bring us PEACE.
Sisters and brothers: We would like to share with you that, in our organization, we have learned that active nonviolent struggle continues to have a place in history. Our martyrs have taught us through their lives that they did not die in a war, but rather gave their lives for PEACE. And we invite you to make room for nonviolence in your own lives.
Our prayers and solidarity go out to the peoples suffering from military, economic, and trade wars in Iran, Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia… and, closer to home, Cuba and Venezuela, who are resisting the economic blockade imposed by the U.S. president.
NO TO WAR, YES TO PEACE!
For all of the above reasons, we continue to DEMAND that the three levels of government:
1. Respect human rights during operations carried out by the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force.
2. An investigation into and the disarming of armed groups that promote violence in communities.
From Acteal, House of Memory and Hope.
Sincerely,
The Voice of the Las Abejas Civil Society Organization of Acteal.
Original text published on by Desinformémonos on March 23rd, 2026.
Translation by Schools for Chiapas.