Indigenous groups in Chiapas demand justice for murdered priest

Hundreds of indigenous people from the Choles, Mam, Tsotsil, Tojolabal, and Tzeltal communities marched in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, to demand justice for the murder of Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez.

Two years after the priest, a human rights defender known for mediating community conflicts, was shot and killed on October 20, 2024, protesters claim the intellectual authors of the crime remain unidentified. While Edgar Rolando Mares Banda was sentenced to 20 years in prison as one of the material authors, the local diocese noted that the judicial process is still in the intermediate stage.

Demonstrators and civil organizations, including the Minerva Bello Human Rights Center, reported that violence, organized crime, and forced displacement continue to plague the region. Participants also denounced ongoing threats from local authorities and insecurity in various municipalities.