PBI-Mexico accompanies Peoples’ Front in Defence of Land and Water at demonstration seeking dialogue on proposals

Published by Brent Patterson on May 23, 2025May 23, 2025

PBI-Mexico has posted:

“Today, May 22, PBI accompanies the Peoples Front [in Defence of Land and Water] Morelos Puebla Tlaxcala at a peaceful demonstration in San Andres Cholula that seeks the opening of dialogue tables with the Municipal Presidency, with the objective of initiating a conversation about the integration of the proposals of the Peoples in the Urban Development Plans. We call on the competent authorities to establish an open dialogue respectful of the rights of the Indigenous Peoples.”

Context

On May 22, Urbano reported: “Demanding that the Urban Development Program of San Andrés Cholula take into account the needs of the indigenous communities, inhabitants of that municipality closed the federal highway to Atlixco. It was before 11 a.m. on Thursday [May 22] when residents placed tires at the height of the main church of San Bernardino Tlaxcalancingo, in front of the sports field.”

That article adds: “They assured that three universities have ruled that their proposals are viable and necessary to protect their territory, but they accused the municipal president, Guadalupe Cuautle Torres, of closing herself to dialogue.”

Periódico Enfoque notes: “Juan Carlos Flores Solís, lawyer for the demonstrators, criticized the municipal government’s refusal to incorporate the studies carried out by specialists from UDLAP [Universidad de las Américas Puebla], the Universidad Iberoamericana and the BUAP [Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla], which question the model of “compact cities” that is sought to be implemented in San Andrés Cholula.”

E-consulta further highlights: “The contingent, made up of about 100 people, closed the road in both directions this Thursday morning, affecting traffic to Puebla and San Andres Cholula. During the demonstration, the attendees expressed: ‘Enough of dispossession of water for the people of Cholula, of actions against us, of those who defend our territory against private companies such as Grupo Proyecta’.”

That article quotes the group stating the reason for their blockade of the highway: “It has been more than six months since the rulings [from the three universities] were issued and the dialogue has not been reestablished. That is why we are holding this demonstration today, to demand that the president Guadalupe Cuautle and state government officials come. …All the real estate speculation, the displacement that the towns are experiencing, the increase in taxes, the difficulty in obtaining deeds and the scarcity of water are due to an urban model that favors real estate investment.”

Cholultec Peoples Demand Dialogue for Urban Charter

Angulo 7 also explains: “The members of the Choluteca peoples explained that, in 2024, the [three universities] ruled that their proposals had a technical and legal reason for the preservation of their territory and that there should be no more movable developments that affect the soil and natural resources. They recalled that on November 7 of last year, the municipal president of San Andrés Cholula, Guadalupe Cuautle Torres, promised to follow up on the working groups, include a diagnosis and a proposal for water management within the PMDU [Municipal Urban Development Program]. However, the Cholultec peoples accused that since then the mayor did not give continuity to the agreements made with the City Council in September 2023 and that she herself ratified.”

Municipios Pueblos also notes: “They pointed out that the objective is to integrate the proposals of these peoples and put an end to real estate speculation, silent displacement, tax increases, water scarcity due to the lack of a development program. Neighbors came and participated in this blockade, and pointed out that since 2018 this program was presented with a vision of development contrary to what the towns request, generating land dispossession to have dense cities and large avenues. They charged that these actions have led to a loss of more than 30 percent of the territory of the Indigenous Peoples, with ejidos that were agricultural and that today are large subdivisions.”

In response to the highway blockade, El Sol de Puebla reported: “Regarding the situation, the City Council of San Andrés Cholula issued a press release, where it reported that Mayor Guadalupe Cuautle Torres went to Casa Agua to participate in the dialogue table with the Indigenous Peoples and with representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, however, they were still waiting for the first to arrive. Therefore, it was made clear that the local government is open to dialogue to address issues of social interest.”

Accompaniment

Peace Brigades International has accompanied the Peoples’ Front in Defence of Land and Water – Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala since early 2020. In August 2022, that accompaniment was extended for another three years.

We continue to follow this.