Oaxaca: villagers freed elements of the National Guard who had been held for two days

At least 100 inhabitants of the municipality of San Cristóbal Amatlán in Oaxaca, held for two days and this Saturday they released six elements of the National Guard (GN) whom they disarmed, demanding the removal of municipal president Juan Celso Santos and the members of his council, who were disarmed point to corruption and lack of transparency in the implementation of public resources.

According to the police report, the inhabitants also accused the elements of the National Guard of repression and vandalized the van in which they were being transported.

The members of federal security accompanied the councilor for education, Eufemia Flores Antonio, because she has precautionary measures granted by the Office of the Human Rights of the People of Oaxaca (DDHPO).

According to local media, tension in the community grew after the arrival of commissioners from the General Secretariat of Government (Segego), the Oaxacan Ombudsman's Office and the Ministry of the Interior (Segob), who sought to dialogue with the inhabitants to achieve the liberation of the elements of the National Guard and the councilwoman.

In a video released on social networks, we can see the moment when the villagers set up barricades formed with sticks and tires that were set on fire while retaining the members of the NG, who are seen pushing tires followed by several men shouting slogans.

After disarming the elements of the National Guard, the inhabitants declared “war on the Mexican State” and declared themselves an “autonomous municipality”.

“We announced the disappearance of municipal, state and federal police officers, we appointed ourselves self-defenders, not to attack, but to defend the people of San Cristóbal Amatlán,” they warned.

With slogans of “Long live San Cristobal”, “Let the bad government die”, “Out with the corrupt”, “Juan Celso out” and carrying banners, the villagers demanded the removal of mayor Juan Celso Santos, a petition they had already filed before the Electoral Tribunal of the State of Oaxaca (TEEO).

It is not the first time that inhabitants of some town in Oaxaca have deprived elements of the National Guard of their liberty.

On July 14, 2021, residents of the community of Santiago Textitlán held 22 elements of the National Guard in order to resolve an agrarian dispute between the municipalities of Xochiltepec and Textitlán that has led to several families being displaced, the release of funds for low-income localities; in addition to talk to the authorities to comply with what has been agreed to resolve the conflict.

In addition to the elements of the National Guard, the villagers also detained 11 persons from the State Prosecutor's Office, 14 from Public Security, one from the Government and four from the Government Secretariat.

All civil servants were held for two days and subsequently released, after the inhabitants of Santiago Textitlán reached an agreement with the Secretary General of Government, Francisco Javier García López and the human rights defender of the people of Oaxaca, Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla.

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