San Miguel Chimalapa, Oaxaca launches conciliation plan with Chiapas ejidos

The president of the Comisariado de Bienes Comunales of San Miguel Chimalapa, Eliezer Gutiérrez, announced a conciliation plan aimed at resolving a decades‑long land dispute with Chiapas ejidos that occupy communal territory in the Zoque region. A delegation of 400 comuneros will enter the eastern conflict zone to meet residents of the ejidos Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Rodolfo Figueroa, Flor de Chiapas and Ramón E. Balboa, proposing that ejidatarios be recognized as comuneros of San Miguel Chimalapa while retaining their Chiapanecan identity, in exchange for respecting communal statutes and forest protection rules.

The dispute dates back to 1967 when Chiapas settlers founded ejidos on lands historically belonging to San Miguel and Santa María Chimalapa, a claim upheld by the Mexican Supreme Court. Despite the rulings, tensions persist, exacerbated by illegal logging and perceived neglect by federal and state authorities. Gutiérrez emphasized that forced eviction is not the first option and called for governmental support to create conditions for peaceful coexistence. The plan will be detailed in a press conference scheduled for 4 August 2026.