Fourteen displaced families from the Puebla ejido, in the municipality of Chenalhó, have launched a desperate appeal to the state governor, Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, requesting a definitive solution and comprehensive relocation after nine years of being forced to abandon their homes.
The community, which includes more than 80 children, lives in extremely vulnerable conditions in camps in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
Vulnerability
“The homes are not fit to live in. The houses no longer have roofs, they have no windows, they have been damaged by the rains that have fallen, and we are suffering from the cold,” exclaimed Aracely Goméz, spokesperson for the displaced.
Since May 26th, 2016, the date of their tragic forced displacement and the murder of their relative, Guadalupe Cruz Hernández, these families have faced “great pain” and undignified conditions.
Although they receive weekly humanitarian aid, such as food supplies, it is “insufficient” due to population growth and the birth of new children.
The main reason they cannot return to their home community is the persistence of “paramilitary groups” in the Puebla ejido, the same groups that were involved in the 2016 attack.
“We don’t want the same day that happened to happen again. We’ve already suffered enough, we’ve already lost a family member,” they say, seeking “tranquility and peace in a safe and dignified place.”
Asking to be heard
The families, who are not asking for money, but rather a “solution” and “justice,” have requested a direct audience with the governor, at least 30 minutes to be heard. They have indicated that the governor’s team has made no progress on their case.
Their central proposal is relocation, but not to just any place; They wish to be relocated “where we are,” in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, since the search for land in the municipality has been unsuccessful under previous and current administrations, who have been told that “there is no land there in that location.”
In an open letter addressed to Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, dated Monday, June 16th, 2025, the 14 families expressed their hope that his leadership “will be no different in the face of this outcry.”
“We know you can make a difference,” they affirm, urging the state executive branch to have “the political will to find a solution” and to surround itself with people “sensitive to the pain of the victims” to establish a “clear work plan.”
Original article by Daniel García, Cuarto Poder, June 17th, 2025.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.