Commissioners and residents of the Heliodoro Castillo mountain range (Tlacotepec) blocked an army convoy in the community of Capulines, which intended to cut down their poppy fields. The blockade was in protest because the federal and state governments have not addressed their demands for road construction and access to health and education services.
In response, the Undersecretary of Political and Social Development for the state government, Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros, stated that there was no demonstration against the army “in El Capulín.” He claimed that residents of the region told him they went to request information, though he did not specify what kind, despite photos circulating that show residents surrounding the soldiers.
“The information we have regarding the events in El Capulín is that it was never a demonstration or an act of blocking by personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense stationed there. Rather, (the residents) went to request information. This information was provided to us by residents of the town and the region.” He said he was informed that they withdrew around noon.
The government broke its agreement to meet with them, they say.
Via WhatsApp, one of the protesters’ representatives reported that yesterday at 8:00 a.m., a group of authorities and citizens arrived at the military encampment on the community’s basketball court, where they prevented a group of soldiers from leaving. These soldiers have been in the area for two weeks destroying poppy fields.
“During these two weeks, we gave state and federal authorities a deadline to meet with us, and we allowed the Army to enter the mountains to destroy the poppy fields. But they haven’t kept their word, and we agreed to prevent the soldiers from entering our territory,” said the spokesperson for at least 66 community leaders from the mountains.
“We want them to tell us at a working meeting what the benefits will be for the Sierra communities in 2026. We want them to tell us that they will finally send us teachers and doctors, that there will be road repairs, and that we will be included in the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program,” he demanded.
He mentioned that the residents are not against the work of the military; it’s just that the government broke the agreement to assist them, and they broke the agreement to allow the Army to destroy their crops.
“We know the 2026 budget is already in place, but they’ve told us there’s nothing for the Sierra communities. There are no roads. We also need healthcare; there are cases of measles, and the doctors aren’t coming. We need education. That’s all we’re asking for,” he said.
The representative acknowledged that in recent days they had met with the Undersecretary of Political and Social Development of the General Secretariat of the Government, Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros, and with the delegate of the Ministry of Welfare, Iván Hernández Díaz, where an agreement had been reached to allow the Army to destroy the poppy fields while the issues of social programs and roads were resolved.
“They deceived us, and that is why we are here protesting and demanding that the government tell us when the meeting will finally take place, which could be in Puerto del Gallo or in Atoyac itself,” he said.
On December 9, 2025, community leaders from 66 towns in the municipalities of Heliodoro Castillo and Tlacotepec agreed in an assembly to prevent the military from entering to destroy the poppy fields, in protest against their exclusion from the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program and the lack of social infrastructure projects.
For the past year, residents have reported that many farmers in the mountains have returned to poppy cultivation after being excluded from the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program, which has not been expanded in some communities since Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo took office.
The community leaders and residents left the area at 5 p.m., after agreeing to a meeting on February 4 in Atoyac and the establishment of the Tianguis del Bienestar (Welfare Market) on March 3 in Puerto del Gallo, in the municipality of Heliodoro Castillo. Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda and the Welfare Delegate, Iván Hernández, are expected to attend.
A man was murdered in his home, two backhoes were burned, and three workers were injured.
Armed men attacked three workers with gunfire and burned two machines in the town of El Quemado. On the other hand, a man was shot and killed inside a house in the Jacarandas neighborhood, located in the upper part of the Emiliano Zapata district.
A man was shot and killed inside a house in the Jacarandas neighborhood, located in the upper part of the Emiliano Zapata district.
The crime was reported in the early hours of Wednesday morning between Clavel and Azucenas streets, according to state police.
The police report indicates that armed men broke into a house and shot their victim at point-blank range.
Source: suracapulco
