The director of the agency said that it is an act of homophobia
Jared Laureles
Authorities from the National Workers’ Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit) and the leadership of its National Workers’ Union (SNTI) were involved in a dispute on Tuesday regarding the destruction of an LGBTTTI flag that was displayed on the facade of the institution’s main building in Mexico City.
The director of the Institute, Carlos Martínez Velázquez, denounced that it is an act of homophobia and discrimination, and said that he will file the corresponding complaints.
“The union leader of our Institution @Infonavit called on some of his members to break with the flags that we put up every June during Pride Month. After 5 years, it is the first time that it has reached this point,” he said on the social network X.
Through that medium, the director of Infonavit released photographs where the destruction of the flag can be seen, as well as a video in which the union leader Rafael Riva Palacio Pontones rejects the placement of the flag.
In an interview with La Jornada, the SNTI leader argued that the internal work regulations “prohibit us from putting anything on the walls” of the institute and called for “civil protection protocols to be observed” for the placement of any element.
Riva Palacio commented that after five years, on this occasion they removed the flags because they were previously notified “and we had agreed, but now they no longer do it that way.”
“We state that it is NOT a matter of discrimination, it is NOT a matter of homophobia, NOR of preferences, it is NOT allowing FLAGS in the Institutional building that belong to the INFONAVIT workers, the only one we accept is the NATIONAL FLAG,” said the National Executive Committee of the SNTI on social networks.
In the video released by the director of Infonavit, he described the placement of the flag as undignified, and said that “as many times as they want to put it up,” they will destroy it again.
“I have gathered you here because what you are doing seems unworthy to me, it is unworthy because you can put the Infonavit logo on it very well. I do not agree that here when América won they put up an América banner for being two-time champions; so do not tell me that it is this day, it is that day, it is the day of the hereafter. This identifies us all,” he said.
Conapred criticizes expressions of homophobia and discrimination
The National Council to Prevent Discrimination (Conapred) criticized “the displays of hatred, machismo, homophobia and discrimination expressed outside the building of the National Housing Fund for Workers.
Conapred expressed “our strongest condemnation of these regrettable events and we call for recognition and respect for the symbols of the struggle of those who have contributed to the expansion of rights and promote inclusion in all its facets, particularly if it is a public institution and social welfare that aims to serve all people.”
It reiterated the urgency of eliminating all displays of hatred against people of sexual and gender diversity and people with diverse sexual characteristics. “These types of actions attack human dignity, segregate, stigmatize and encourage acts of violence that can violate people’s lives.”
He stressed that freedom of expression is a right established in Articles 6 and 7 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States; however, this is not above the right to equality and non-discrimination.
He stressed that regardless of the nature of the institution (whether public or private), “we urge respect for diversity and the inalienability of rights to strengthen the social fabric and healthy coexistence among all people.
He recalled that as “the body in charge of anti-discrimination policy in Mexico, we are addressing the
complaint that was already presented to this Council by an individual.”
Conapred reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of Mexico to the fight for rights, in particular with diversity, equality and justice for all people. Likewise, it urged to make visible, recognize and respect all non-normative sexual and gender identities, as well as the free development of personality.
Source: lajornadamaya
