The traditional authorities of the Pueblo de Belén, one of the eight communities that make up the Yaqui Nation, expressed their dissatisfaction with the Plan of Justice for the tribe, stating that the works are unfinished; and warned that during the last visit of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to their territory, they will close the tap that distributes water to the population of the municipality of Guaymas and block the railroads that pass through their lands.
In a letter addressed to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who will be in Yaqui territory tomorrow to deliver Irrigation District 018 – a work that, they say, remains unfinished – the community of Belén expressed that their demands have been abandoned. “The thirst of the Yaqui people is not only for water, it is also for justice,” they said in their letter, emphasizing that the community continues to suffer from backward conditions.
According to the town authorities, despite previous warnings, they have not been heard by federal government officials. The letter signed by Cecilio Buitimea, dual governor of the town of Belén, denounced that they have been relegated from the Yaqui Justice Plan and that many essential commitments, such as the supply of drinking water, the rehabilitation of agricultural lands and the protection of their natural resources, remain unfulfilled.
The traditional authorities made up of the aforementioned governor; Aureliano Valdez Rivera, captain; Juan María Molina, town mayor; Ygnacio Núñez, commander and Ángel Vázquez, secretary, have made the decision to close the tap that supplies drinking water to Guaymas and block the railroads that cross their territory as a pressure measure. “We have encountered narrow-mindedness and deferral towards our legitimate requests,” they state in the letter, where they detail the series of demands they have raised since 2018 without obtaining a response.
Among their claims, they mention the need for recognition of indigenous criminal jurisdiction, the implementation of temporary employment programs, support for productive projects, as well as the protection of flora and fauna in their territory. They insist that, although they have prioritized dialogue, the lack of progress has led them to take these measures.
Through the letter they also ask for understanding from the citizens of Guaymas, remembering that their struggle is not alien to the problems faced by other sectors of the region.
President López Obrador will arrive on Yaqui lands this Friday to present the progress of the Justice Plan for the Yaqui ethnic group, his last visit as federal president. The justice plan for the Yaquis has the largest investment that has been made to serve indigenous communities with 15,441 million pesos, whose objective was to restore their dignity and ensure their well-being.
Source: jornada
