San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
August 12, 2026
Bulletin No. 12
Twenty-eight years, seven months, and 18 days after the Acteal Massacre, we continue to demand justice for the extrajudicial execution of 45 Tsotsil indigenous people—19 women, 14 girls, four boys, and eight men—as well as four unborn babies, all members of the Las Abejas de Acteal Civil Society Organization (Las Abejas de Acteal), on December 22, 1997, in the community of Acteal by a paramilitary group trained and protected by the Mexican State.
Today marks 17 years since the release of 20 individuals identified as the direct perpetrators of the Acteal Massacre, following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. This event highlights the lack of effective access to judicial and administrative procedures that guarantee full redress for the damages suffered. In light of this, Mexico remains far from consolidating a full democracy and guaranteeing effective respect for human rights, while survivors continue to face obstacles in accessing justice and the truth amid a situation of absolute impunity.
Today marks the 17th anniversary of the release of 20 individuals identified as the direct perpetrators of the Acteal Massacre, following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. This event highlights the lack of effective access to judicial and administrative procedures that guarantee full redress for the damages suffered. In light of this, Mexico remains far from consolidating a full democracy and guaranteeing effective respect for human rights, while survivors continue to face obstacles in accessing justice and the truth amid a situation of absolute impunity.
The lack of a safe and conducive environment for Las Abejas de Acteal to fully exercise their rights to autonomy, self-determination, and the fight against impunity is exacerbated by the violence that persists in the region and, specifically, by the attacks and threats against its members. In this context, the Mexican State continues to fail to fulfill its responsibility to respect, protect, and guarantee the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, without distinction or discrimination—a goal that remains unfulfilled for society.
Today marks the end of the campaign “Me oy Chapanel, oy jun O’ntonal” (If There Is Justice, There Is Peace), launched by Las Abejas de Acteal as one of the spaces for the struggle to ensure we never forget. For this reason, we salute and stand in solidarity with the new generations who are demanding justice and truth in the face of the denial of this crime against humanity. Through the arts, they keep alive the hope that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will issue its Merits Report on Case 12.790, Manuel Sántiz Culebra et al. (Acteal Massacre). Memory, truth, and justice remain indispensable paths to building peace.
As this campaign comes to a close, we denounce yet another human rights violation that directly affects Las Abejas de Acteal: the arbitrary deprivation of liberty, for more than 24 hours, of José Alfredo Jiménez Pérez, a community advocate and documentary filmmaker, and Eusebio López Guzmán in the community of Centro Nuevo Yibeljoj, while they were reconnecting the electricity service for a sick brother. This deprivation of liberty occurred without justification, without due process, and without respect for their humanitarian work, despite the fact that the action had been previously communicated to municipal and state authorities, whose failure to act allowed the aggression to escalate and led to community members arbitrarily detaining them and imposing a disproportionate punishment. This incident is part of a persistent pattern of attacks against an organization that, for decades, has waged a peaceful struggle for truth, justice, and peace. It also confirms that impunity continues to be a structural threat to those who defend human rights, life, justice, and the dignity of the people.
We remind the Mexican government that the serious human rights violations committed in the country are not a matter of good intentions, but of effectively fulfilling its national, regional, and international obligations. For us, this means putting an end to impunity in the case of the Acteal Massacre.
Finally, we reiterate the need to create opportunities for international mechanisms to contribute to the pursuit of truth, justice, and comprehensive reparations. Because where there is justice, there is peace. We call for national and international solidarity to continue raising our voices and standing in solidarity with the struggles of the peoples of Chiapas in defense of life, memory, and dignity.
Original text and photo published at Frayba on August 12, 2026.
Translation by Schools for Chiapas.