PBI-Mexico accompanies the Human Rights Solidarity Network at the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office on Forced Disappearance

Published by Brent Patterson on March 20, 2025March 20, 2025

PBI-Mexico has posted:

“On the first anniversary of the disappearance of the defender José Gabriel Pelayo, PBI-Mexico accompanies his relatives and the Human Rights Solidarity Network  to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office.

We make a call for a thorough investigation with focus on #humanrights in this case.”

In this statement issued on the one-year anniversary, the Human Rights Solidarity Network further explains: “On March 19, 2024, around 10:30 a.m., [territorial defender José Gabriel Pelayo] was last seen in Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, while driving a green Ford Explorer truck with sand-colored stripes.”

The El Sol de Morelia newspaper in Michoacán also notes: “He is the founder of the Popular Council of Chinicuila that has sought to denounce, defend and end the invasion of companies, as well as organized crime, which have dedicated themselves to dispossessing people of their lands and natural resources.”

Photo by Canal 13.

Another article by El Sol de Morelia also reports: “A year after the forced disappearance of Chinicuila teacher José Gabriel Pelayo, which occurred on March 19, 2024, his daughter Yulissa Pelayo denounced the omission and lack of action to locate him by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Coalcomán, the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). …So far, Yulissa Pelayo said, the agencies have not updated the data on where he can be found or who would be responsible for his disappearance, although the family has let them know who it is, even expressing an abandonment of the case.”

Yulissa Pelayo says: “The regional prosecutor’s office of Coalcomán expressed that there are no lines of investigation when they have been given many clues by family, acquaintances and friends about the lines of investigation that they should follow, this regarding different situations and organizations that may be involved, I think this is a clear example of how the authorities do not do their job, how there is no justice for the disappeared.”

That El Sol de Morelia article adds: “Studies by the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) indicate that Michoacán is the most dangerous state for the exercise of the defense of the environment, human rights and in general. Their activism has led to a series of disappearances and murders.”

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.

Photo by José Pelayo Sociodigital Network.