Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, original communities in Puebla held a historic cultural march through the state capital to make their rights visible, demand justice, and denounce historical exclusion by government authorities. Under the slogan “We are still here, alive and resisting,” representatives from the state’s seven indigenous groups marched along major roadways to present their core demands:
Harmonization of Constitutional Reforms: Demonstrators demanded the local harmonization and alignment of reforms to Article 2 of the Constitution—previously approved at the federal level—to guarantee true autonomy and recognition of their normative systems.
Justice Plans: They called for the effective implementation of comprehensive justice plans, particularly focused on the Nahua and Mazateco communities of the Sierra Negra, to address historical deficits in infrastructure, road connectivity, healthcare, and education.
Territory Defense and Prior Consultation: They criticized decision-makers for ignoring their views regarding development projects that impact natural resources, reiterating that the voices of indigenous peoples must be respected in any intervention involving ancestral lands.
The mobilization concluded with various cultural and artistic displays at the House of Culture, serving as a meeting space and an affirmation of identity for the Nahua, Popoloca, Otomi, Tepehua, Totonac, Mixtec, and Mazatec peoples who comprise Puebla’s multi-ethnic wealth.
Source: https://elpopular.mx
