The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project has commented on social media: “From PBI Mexico we express our deep concern over the repeated break-ins and robberies in their offices that has suffered the @cdh_fraymatias in the last days.”
The Fray Matías de Córdova Human Rights Centre (CDH Fray Matías de Córdova), that is located in Tapachula, Chiapas, has posted on Instagram:
“#Statement #AlertForWomenHumanRightsDefenders
We at CDH Fray Matías denounce an imminent threat to our safety due to the authorities’ failure to act. On Sunday 22 March 2026, our offices were once again breached, as we fell victim to a second raid and burglary with the clear intention of intimidating us and obstructing and dismantling our work in defence of human rights. We wish to make it clear that this second attack is the direct responsibility of the authorities’ inaction.
Read the full statement here.”
Protection Mechanism
The Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center A.C. (Center Prodh) highlights: “Fray Matías pointed out that despite having measures from the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists and requesting their support, their response took several hours to arrive.”
La Jornada also reports: “The center accused that it requested the support of the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists – of which it is a beneficiary – but the response was late. …’We ask the federal government, in particular the Protection Mechanism, to promptly respond and implement adequate protection measures that guarantee the safety of the Fray Matías HRC team and allow us to continue our defense work,’ it said. The Center noted that the protection of information and the integrity of defenders is an obligation of the State.”
An Infobae reports: “The center recalled that in recent months it has faced other security incidents, already notified both to the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists and to the corresponding authorities. Despite having protection measures from the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, the center’s team reported that the response of the security elements was late, as they came several hours after the warning. In this regard, they asked the Federal Government, in particular the Protection Mechanism, to implement adequate measures to guarantee the safety of the team and the continuity of its defense work.”
The work of Fray Matías de Córdova
Proceso explains: “On the southern border of Mexico, the Fray Matías de Córdova Human Rights Center A.C. is the most prominent reference for its independent work and direct accompaniment of people in contexts of mobility (migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and displaced persons).”
Advocacy to strengthen the Protection Mechanism
PBI-Canada, alongside PBI-Mexico and the Civil Society Space of Organizations (Espacio OSC), continues to highlight the importance of strengthening the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Mexico.
It is in this context that we recall the Government of Canada has called for the strengthening of the Protection Mechanism during the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Mexico in January 2024.
At that time, Canada recommended that Mexico: “Strengthen, from an intersectional and gender perspective, the federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, specifically in the areas of prevention, protection, investigation, and reparation.”
We continue to follow this.
