PBI-Mexico accompanies Red Solidaria DH at cultural rally in Morelia for disappeared environmental defender José Gabriel Pelayo

Published by Brent Patterson on February 13, 2025February 13, 2025

PBI-Mexico has posted on Facebook:

“On Saturday, February 8, #PBI accompanied the Human Rights Solidarity Network in Morelia, Michoacán, to a cultural rally to draw attention to the disappearance of the environmental defender José Gabriel Pelayo Zalgado. During the activity there were readings of stories and poems, a memory tree and a speech to draw attention to the situation of widespread violence facing the Sierra Costa region and the disappearances of several environmentalist defenders. From PBI we were present as an international observation and will continue to support the Michoacán Human Rights Solidarity Network.”

Cultural rally with “tree of memory and a living anti-monument”

Cambio de Michoacán reports: “Almost a year after the disappearance of teacher and environmentalist José Gabriel Pelayo Zalgado, the Searching for Pelayo collective held a cultural rally in the Plaza Melchor Ocampo in Morelia. As part of the event, a tree of memory and a living anti-monument were placed in tribute to the disappeared environmentalists in the Sierra-Costa of Michoacán and Mexican territory.”

That article adds: “The group has warned about the unpunished operation of armed groups in the Sierra-Costa, the forced displacement of communities and the dispossession of territories for extractivist purposes.”

Tree and memorial memorial plaque removed

By February 12, El Sol del Morelia reported that the tree and memorial plaque had been removed by that morning.

That article adds “So far it is unknown if it was the Morelia City Council or an external person who removed these two symbols that were placed in memory not only of this environmentalist, but of others that have disappeared throughout the state.”

Extractive companies in Michoacán

Cambio de Michoacán has previously reported: “The acts of insecurity, [the Searching for Pelayo collective said] are taken advantage of by companies for extractivist purposes, such as mining companies that operate in the area, which generates a context of dispossession and forced displacement.”

Animal Politico has also reported that Pelayo was threatened by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) before being disappeared.

Canadian mining companies in Michoacán

In October 2024, EL PAÍS América reported: “The indigenous peoples of Michoacán have faced collusion between companies, organized crime and the government, according to the organization Peace Brigades International (PBI), organizer of the meeting in Madrid in which [María Eugenia Gabriel Ruiz is an Indigenous Purhépecha lawyer and member of the Human Rights Solidarity Network] participated.”

That article further highlighted: “14.61% of the state’s surface is exploited by 12 national and six foreign mining companies, according to official figures from 2018.”

That official report from the Mexican Geological Service (SGM), an agency of the Mexican government, lists addresses of 18 “companies exploring in the state – metallics” (see pages 24-25). That chart shows that 5 of the 6 foreign mining companies have addresses in Canada: Catalyst Cooper Corp., Terra Nova Gold Corp., Fischer Watt Gold Company Inc., Rome Resources LTD-IMMSA and Candente Gold Corp. The sixth foreign company listed in that chart, Silver Shield  Resources Corp., is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada (the chart just does not provide an address for the company).

Accompaniment

The Human Rights Solidarity Network (Red Solidaria DH) is accompanied by the Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project.

José Gabriel Pelayo Zalgado, 49, is an environmental activist and rural teacher who has been a member of the Popular Council of Chinicuila for three decades. He has been missing since March 19, 2024.