We demand the return alive of Vicente Suástegui, member of CECOP

Declaration of the Revolutionary Socialist Coordination Committee

We express our deep concern more than 17 days after the kidnapping and disappearance of social activist Vicente Suástegui, a member of the Council of Ejidos and Communities Opposed to the La Parota Dam (CECOP) by an armed commando on August 5, while boarding a cab. We are alarmed by this attack on a member of one of the struggles that has been an example of resistance in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, and for which it has had worldwide projection.

We join all the social organizations that have mobilized tirelessly in recent days in the search for Vicente, and in particular we echo the words of CECOP spokesman Marco Antonio Suástegui, brother of the missing man: “We demand that he be presented alive, and we cannot allow social activists to continue disappearing.”

We are particularly concerned that after the search brigades that have been carried out in the areas around his kidnapping, and that continue until this Monday, no sign of Vicente has been found, so we support the CECOP leader’s request that the authorities begin operations in the places where those responsible have been identified: the local organized crime groups (the security houses). In this sense, we are concerned about the pact and collusion that may exist in this case between authorities and criminal groups that operate by repressing the social movement.

It is urgent to act today to break impunity in cases of enforced disappearance and to protect social and environmental activists from the constant threat they face.

The presentation of the disappeared in Mexico has always been the result of the struggle and demands of the organized people, so we call on organizations, collectives and personalities to actively join the solidarity call of CECOP and the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, which are present in the search, disclosure and follow-up of the case. We must say in particular that it is very important that political and social forces outside Guerrero get involved in this worrying situation. We invite you once again to join the call for solidarity.

CECOP has been fighting for 18 years and has achieved its goal and continues to defend the population. It has prevented the displacement of 25,000 peasants through resistance against the construction of the La Parota dam, the struggle has been long and bloody, they have suffered imprisonment, death and constant harassment. Today the comrades of CECOP deserve full protection from present and future threats.

We emphatically demand the living appearance of Vicente Suástegui!

Alive they took him, alive we want him!

Revolutionary Socialist Coordinator