Wilberth Nahuat, the ejidal commissioner of Santa María Chi in Mérida, Yucatán, is facing jail time after participating in protests against the “San Gerardo” pig farm owned by the Loret de Mola family. The farm has accused him of property theft and illegal deprivation of liberty.
Health Concerns and Protests
In 2023, the town of Santa María Chi, with a population of 500, experienced a rise in gastrointestinal and respiratory infections due to water and air pollution. Residents organized several protests against the mega farm, which houses nearly 50,000 pigs. Tests of local wells revealed levels of fecal coliforms, Salmonella, E. Coli, and solids exceeding safe drinking water standards. In response, the farm’s legal representative filed multiple charges against Nahuat with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Legal Proceedings
Orvelin Montiel Cortés, a lawyer supporting the community’s legal actions against the farm, explained the potential outcomes of the hearing scheduled for December 14. “The crime of illegal deprivation of liberty is serious. The Public Prosecutor’s Office could request preventive detention as a precautionary measure. In the worst-case scenario, the commissioner could be detained,” he said.
Community Support
The Autonomous Citizen Comptroller of Water, along with collectives, activists, scientists, and academics, sent a letter to the state governor, Joaquín Díaz Mena, the Attorney General, and the judge. They argued that the alleged crimes were actually peaceful protests by Nahuat and other residents against the farm, which had caused fires and severe health issues, including respiratory problems for young children and older adults.
Background on San Gerardo Farm
San Gerardo operates as a sharecropper for Kekén, a company under the KUO Group that dominates pork production in the Yucatán Peninsula. The farm is owned by Francisco José Loret de Mola Díaz, a member of the influential Loret de Mola family, known for their roles as politicians, journalists, and businessmen in Yucatán, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas.
Source: Educaoaxaca
