Indigenous communities and activists demand water protections in Michoacán and Coahuila

Indigenous communities in eastern Michoacán, specifically from Maravatío, Zinapécuaro, and Ciudad Hidalgo, have announced planned mobilizations for next week. The protesters intend to block federal highways and occupy facilities of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to demand government intervention regarding rising cases of renal failure in the region. Residents are calling for an exhaustive study of water quality and chemical components in local aquifers, citing a direct link between water contamination and public health deterioration.

In Coahuila, the Movement for the Citizen and Regional Protection of the Sabinas River is demanding the rescue and sanitation of the river, which faces threats from shale gas exploitation. Activists are calling for transparency regarding the identities of landowners in the Sabinas-Burro-Picachos basin where hydraulic fracturing wells are slated for installation.