Las Abejas Civil Society Organization of Acteal
Sacred Land of the Martyrs of Acteal
Acteal, Chenalhó, Chiapas, Mexico.
November 22, 2025
November 22, 2025
To the National Indigenous Congress
To the Indigenous Governing Council
To the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
To Human Rights Defenders
To Free and Alternative Media
To National and International Media
To Civil Society, National and International
Sisters and Brothers
Time continues to be very important for our Mayan peoples, as it was for our ancestors, and as we approach another anniversary of outrage and uninterrupted silence from the government in recognizing its participation in the Acteal massacre, a crime compounded by the violent murders of our brother Simón Pedro and Father Marcelo, the massacre of Nuevo Morelia in Chicomuselo, and other open wounds of violence that continue in time and space throughout our Mayan territory.
In the communities of our region, violence seems to have stopped time, as armed groups have not been dismantled. At the beginning of the second week of November, the military, Pakales, and National Guard entered and as they descended on the outskirts of Tzajalch’en, they encountered an armed group confronting them. Later, they violently entered Tzajalch’en, breaking down some school doors for no reason or for reasons unknown to us.
These actions make us think about the fear they are sowing, and that there will be more displaced people who are not recognized, more divisions, more mistrust, and continued impunity, which we do not want to get used to.
However, we continue to raise our voices so that: The government recognizes its responsibility and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issues the long-awaited in-depth report on the Acteal massacre.
Justice recognizes Simón Pedro as a human rights defender and that there be an investigation that leads to the mastermind behind the murder of Father Marcelo, who, driven by his faith, dedicated his life to building peace, denouncing injustices, shouting the truth, defending the lives of the people, in accordance with his priesthood, contrary to what this Word of God says about those who swore to uphold the constitution:
“Woe to those who enact unjust laws and organize oppression, who deprive the poor of my country of their rights and prevent justice from being done.” Isaiah, 10:1-2
Our gratitude accompanies our colleague Blanca Martínez Bustos, who accompanied us, respected us, and nurtured the nonviolent principles of our organization. We also join her family in denouncing the negligence of the Mexican Institute of Social Security .
We stand in solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples’ Front in defense of our colleague Carlos Gónzalez, coordinator and legal advisor to the National Indigenous Congress, who has been criminalized by MORENA party representative Judit Vanegas Tapia.
Our prayers and solidarity go out to our brothers and sisters in Palestine, who continue to suffer from widespread bombing in the West Bank, where genocide is advancing.
Sisters and brothers, we invite you to walk with the certainty that the light of hope illuminates the path of men and women who build peace.
We demand that the three levels of government:
Disarm the armed groups that generate violence in the municipality.
Combat the sale of drugs, which is growing with clandestine drug dealing in the communities.
Provide security guarantees and respect human rights in the operations carried out by the Pakal Immediate Reaction Forces (FRIP).
That the line of investigation be followed, without concealing the true mastermind behind the murder of Father Marcelo.
Finally, we announce that there will be a gathering in Acteal as part of the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the Acteal Massacre and the 33rd anniversary of the founding of our organization. We ask you to stay tuned for the corresponding announcement.
LONG LIVE THE MARTYRS OF ACTEAL!
LONG LIVE SIMÓN PEDRO!
LONG LIVE FATHER MARCELO!
STOP THE GENOCIDE, AND PEACE FOR PALESTINE!
From Acteal, House of Memory and Hope.
Sincerely,
The Voice of the Las Abejas Civil Society Organization of Acteal.
Original text published by the Abejas de Acteal on November 22nd, 2025.
Translation by Schools for Chiapas.