Prometeo Lucero

Al menos 12 personas, entre contratistas de la minera Media Luna y pescadores locales de Nuevo Balsas fueron secuestradas el 6 de febrero de 2015, una decena de ellas liberada el día 8 y dos más varios días liberadas tras el pago de un rescate a "La Burra", líder de un grupo delictivo. Encabezados por Policías Comunitarios, miembros de la Policía Federal, Gendarmería, Ejército y Fuerza Aérea buscaron en los cerros y escondites a las secuestradas. (Foto: Prometeo Lucero)

La pelea de tigres en Chilapa, Guerrero, es un ritual de los pueblos nahuas para la petición de lluvias (Atl tlatzilistlu). La pelea de tigres, parte del rito, es una ofrenda a la tierra. Mientras más peleas haya, mejores lluvias habrá para el campo.

The roots of the Community Police (PC) are found in the roads from La Montaña and the Costa Chica of Guerrero, southern state of Mexico in 1996, both regions, conformed from indigenous and mestizo people organized with shotguns and guns used for hunting in the mountains, who started to patrol the roads and communities. The PC uses a reeducation program, that means the repair of damages done by antisocial behaviors, such as theft, murder, kidnapping even witchcraft by working for the community. This also contemplates psichological support and talks with elder men. The model has inspired other communities in Guerrero and other states of the country, not always welcome by governments, because it compromises the political promise of public security by State corporations. In January 2013, a new group called “Autodefensas” (Self-Defenses) appeared in Ayutla de los Libres, formed by some founder members of the PC. This started an internal crisis, because the Self-Defenses appear masked and with high caliber weapons and in their first days, they shot tourists who did not stop in a checkpoint. Also, the appearing of new groups started an unexpected militarization of the zones. State government wrote an Order to all to be regulated by state security, subordinating them as municipal police support. The PC rejected the Order in February 17th, 2013, but the Self-Defenses have a divided position in favor and against this. This is the Community Territory // Las raíces de la Policía Comunitaria (PC) se remontan a los caminos de la Montaña y Costa Chica de Guerrero, al sur de México, en 1996, ambas regiones conformadas por pueblos indígenas y mestizos, donde la gente se organizó con pistolas y rifles de cacería y comenzó a patrullar caminos y comunidades. La PC usa un programa de reeducación, que implica la reparación de daños por conductas antisociales, como robo, asesinato, secuestro o incluso brujería, con trabajo para la comunidad. También contempla apoyo psicológico y pláticas con ancianos. El modelo ha inspirado a otras comunidades en el estado de Guerrero y el resto del país, no siempre son bienvenidos por el gobierno, pues cuestiona el manejo político de la seguridad pública. En enero de 2013, un nuevo grupo de “Autodefensas” hizo aparición en Ayutla de los Libres, formado por miembros fundadores de la PC. Esto creó una crisis interna, pues las Autodefensas se presentan encapuchados y con armas de alto poder, y en sus primeros días dispararon contra turistas que no se detuvieron en un retén. También, la presencia de nuevos grupos atrajo la militarización de la zona. El gobierno estatal redactó un Decreto para regular a todas las fuerzas por la seguridad estatal, subordinándoles como apoyo a la Policía Municipal. La PC rechazó el Decreto el 17 de febrero de 2013, aunque las Autodefensas se encuentran divididas con opiniones a favor y en contra. Éste es el Territorio Comunitario

En la comunidad na´savi El Charco, en Ayutla, Guerrero se conmemoró la masacre en que fueron asesinados siete civiles y cuatro combatientes del Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo Insurgente que pernoctaban en la escuela "Caritino Maldonado", luego de que el Ejército mexicano detectara la presencia del grupo insurgente.

When drought, poverty and migration meet... In the region of La Montaña, southern state of Guerrero, it is clear the soil degradation: the crop harvest is not enough for indigenous families. The regional climate only provides rain during the summer and a long drought during the rest of the year. A big part of indigenous population emigrates to the northern states and into the U.S. to work as laborers, leaving behind them precarious housings and empty schools. The paradox is that the chemical fertilizer aggravates extreme poverty, because it destroys natural properties of the soil. Its distribution means a political instrument for population control, when it is given only for governmental supporters. Pictures taken from 2009 to 2010

Chiepetepec, Guerrero. In the Montaña zone of southern state of Guerrero, women participate every september 28th in a ritual to show gratitude for the rainy season that let the corn be harvested. On the streets they walk until they climb the Tlatlatzohuaya, known also as "Cerro de la Cruz" (Hill of the Cross) where they put an offering with flowers and candles and put a statuette of San Miguel Arcángel in a small chapel. Only one man is authorized to stay there in this female ritual: the tlamaketl or “the one who knows”. For some hours, women dance with their crops of corn adorned with flowers and bread painted red, as musicians and men manipulate fireworks around. In front of the sun, pointing at the east, the tlamaketl prays and turns into the four cardinal points as he takes flowers and wet them in water. In the homes, people share their food, like tamales, aguardiente, mole and tortillas for all and every house has an offering with crop tools, bread, flowers and stamps. That is how the ritual of fertility begins... Photo and story by Prometeo Lucero

In summer 2008, Maurilia was not strong enough to walk and spoke a disjointed speech between spanish and tu'un savi (mixtec indigenous language) while she was biting her fingers. She seemed to have lost the notion about time and space. She was born in november 12th, 1982, with the help of a midwife and studied until middle school, leaving studies to help her mother and her brother with the farm work. In 2002, at 19 years old, she started suffering strong headaches and coughing up of blood. She later started to hallucinate and stopped eating. In 2003, her health had deteriorated. She was not attended by a medic, because there are no services avaible in her community. But her mother tried everything she could, even sold a plot of land to raise some money to for medicine. Her brother, migrant day laborer, spents almost all his time working in the north of the country and earns only enough for the everyday life. Not being helped anywhere, her family, in desperation, tied a rope around his neck, when Maurilia became uncontrollably aggresive. On day she stayed walking around a tree or seated in the floor. On night, of when raining, she covered under a 'tapanco' (loft) made with wooden sticks. Her mental problems grew up. Costilla del Cerro is located between the mountain range in the southern state of Guerrero. The region, known as “La Montaña” holds some of the poorest municipalities in all Mexico and, according to the Human Development Index issued by the United Nations in 2009, the human living conditions are comparable as the same in Subsaharian Africa nations. People there live by the harvest of beans, corn, chile and quelites and ofter emigrate to work in the fertile fields in the north of the country or to the United States, due to the ground infertility. Some people subsist on the harvest of poppy. Maurilia´s story fullfills the discrimination in Mexico. Because of being woman, indigenous, poor and with mental problems. Due to the difficult context of violence in the region, it is still unknown if Maurilia is still alive. These pictures form part of the exhibition “Mujeres campesinas, mujeres indígenas, defensoras ignoradas” by Amnesty International office in Mexico 3 years after they were taken for Tlachinollan Human Rights Center.

Una tromba devastó el pueblo de San Rafael en 2003. Tras vivir desplazados y perder todo, los pobladores na´savi, o Mixtecos, gestionaron nuevas viviendas. En 2005 se fundó el pueblo de La Barca donde se reubicaron y comenzaron de nuevo. La Barca se encuentra en Cochoapa el Grande, el municipio de mayor pobreza a nivel nacional en los rincones de la Montaña en Guerrero. Según la ONU, el nivel de vida niveles de vida son comparables con los de África Subsahariana.

El santo patrono de San Miguel Arcángel en el municipio na´savi (mixteco) de Metlatónoc, es celebrado por los pueblos y comunidades vecinas, enclavadas en algunos de los lugares con mayor pobreza y menor Índice de Desarrollo Humano, según datos de la Organización de Naciones Unidas. Los rezos y la fiesta representan un agradecimiento por las lluvias, la cosecha y el bienestar para los enfermos y migrantes. 28 de septiembre de 2009.