Oaxaca activist and daughter critically injured in armed attack

Misael Hernández Mendoza, a 41-year-old primary school teacher and Triqui language activist, and his three-year-old daughter were critically injured in an armed attack in San Andrés Chicahuaxtla, Oaxaca.

The incident occurred around 1:30 AM on Wednesday, September 16, as the pair were returning home in a white double-cab pickup truck following Independence Day celebrations. Armed individuals intercepted the vehicle and opened fire with high-caliber weapons before fleeing the scene. Both victims were rushed to medical care and remain in serious condition with reserved prognoses.

Hernández Mendoza is a prominent community leader known for using digital tools to promote the Triqui language, including efforts to make the Firefox browser available in Triqui. While the motive for the attack remains unknown, community members and local authorities have condemned the violence and demanded that the Fiscalía General del Estado de Oaxaca investigate the incident and apprehend those responsible.