Chiapas Normal School Hazing Investigation After Student Hospitalizations

Parents of new entrants at the Escuela Normal Rural Mactumactzá in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, allege that hazing rituals – known locally as novatadas – forced students to work in the fields, deprived them of food, water, sleep and bathroom use, and subjected them to physical and psychological abuse. One 18‑year‑old student was hospitalized for severe dehydration and exhaustion, and about 20 other students reported similar complications. Roughly 70 new students are said to have left the school to avoid further abuse.

Five formal complaints have been filed with the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chiapas. The state prosecutor, Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca, announced that a multidisciplinary team will investigate and integrate the case files, promising no impunity for those responsible. Protesters, led by parent José Núñez Díaz, gathered outside the Chiapas government building demanding action, inspections, and that students who abandoned the institution retain their enrollment rights. The school issued a social‑media statement highlighting its history and values but did not address the allegations.

The investigation and public outcry highlight concerns over student safety, institutional accountability, and potential human‑rights violations within the teacher‑training school.