A Call for International Attention at the Mexico-Guatemala Border

The situation at the Chiapas-Guatemala border paints a deeply troubling picture of a region engulfed in violence and human rights violations due to the activities of organized crime groups vying for territorial control. The complexity and severity of this situation highlight several critical issues that require immediate attention and action from both national and international actors.

This summary presents key points raised in the recent report titled “Siege of Daily Life, Terror for the Control of Territory, and Serious Violations of Human Rights”, released by civil society organizations in the border region of Chiapas.

Human Rights Violations and International Humanitarian Law

Widespread human rights violations—including forced displacement, extortion, sexual exploitation, and the infiltration of various levels of government and public services—underscore the profound impact of this conflict on the civilian population. The report reveals a serious crisis that not only disrupts the daily lives of thousands but also challenges the fundamental principles of human rights and humanitarian protection.

The report asserts that this situation could be classified as a Non-International Armed Conflict (NIAC) under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is a significant development. This classification implies that certain rules of IHL should apply to the conflict, aimed at protecting those not participating in hostilities, including civilians and those who have ceased to be active combatants. The application of IHL could also hold parties accountable for war crimes and other serious violations.

The Role of the Mexican State

The Mexican State’s omission, acquiescence, and in some cases, collaboration with organized crime groups point to a troubling complicity that exacerbates the vulnerability of the population. The demands for urgent intervention by state security forces, like the Ejército Mexicano and the Guardia Nacional, contrast sharply with reports of inaction and complicity, revealing a profound mistrust between the civilian population and state institutions.

This mistrust and perceived betrayal by state institutions not only deepen the crisis but also complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and restore peace and security in the region.

Urgent Need for Intervention and Support

The ongoing violence and human rights abuses at the Chiapas-Guatemala border region call for immediate and coordinated intervention by the Mexican government, international organizations, and human rights bodies. Addressing the root causes of the conflict, providing support and protection to the affected populations, and restoring the rule of law are essential steps toward resolving the crisis.

Efforts must also be made to ensure accountability for human rights violations and to dismantle the criminal structures that have infiltrated government institutions. This includes strengthening the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to resist corruption and collusion with criminal groups.

International Attention and Solidarity

The international community must lend its support and attention to this crisis, helping mediate and provide resources for conflict resolution and humanitarian assistance. International NGOs, UN agencies, and other global bodies can play a crucial role in monitoring the situation, offering aid to displaced populations, and advocating for a resolution to the conflict.

Conclusion

The situation at the Chiapas-Guatemala border represents a critical challenge to human rights, state sovereignty, and regional stability. Addressing this crisis requires a concerted effort from the Mexican government, the international community, and civil society to protect the affected populations and restore peace and order in the region.


Alberto Solís Castro
Mexico Human Rights Senior Fellow at Global Exchange

Download the full report (in Spanish) at grupotrabajofronterachiapas.org.mx.

We are devastated by the news that 54 migrants lost their lives and more than 105 were seriously injured last night when the trailer in which they were traveling overturned in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico. This tragedy is a direct consequence of the anti-immigrant policies – put in place by Trump and continued by Biden – that put already at-risk populations (families and individuals fleeing violence, persecution, and poverty) at even greater risk.

The Biden administration has failed in its promise to reverse the worst of Trump’s draconian, anti-immigration policies – not only by continuing, but also expanding Title 42 and the Remain in Mexico Program to deny entry and due process to those seeking safety and refuge in the United States. 

We know these policies violate the human rights of migrants and refugees and put these already vulnerable populations at grave risk of further persecution and violence. 

Governments must end these deadly policies and focus their efforts on protecting the life and rights of everyone, but particularly of vulnerable populations that seek refuge from violence and poverty.

Global Exchange is continuing our work to advocate for an end to Title 42, the Remain in Mexico Program and all “Safe Third Country” agreements. (Watch my recent interview with Marc Lamont Hill on UpFront.)

But today, right now, we are asking you to help us protect those who face the gravest risks as these policies continue. Please make a gift to our Migrant and Refugee Relief Fund; 100% of the funds raised will go to frontline shelters and legal aid organizations across Mexico working to protect and support migrants and refugees.

We have been able to send critical support to shelters that provide humanitarian assistance to the migrant population in Mexico. With your contribution, we can continue to support these vulnerable populations who face increasing hardships and dangers that threaten their lives.

Thank you for supporting the Migrant and Refugee Relief Fund.

Never another night like last night.

Summer is almost here, but it’s not too late to sign-up for the trip of a lifetime! There’s no need to shelve that tour you wanted to take but never got around to planning.

We have three life-changing Reality Tours planned for June and July, and we have space for you.

Learn about the Indigenous rights movement in Chiapas, Mexico. Experience the beautiful highlands and Amazon of Ecuador, while meeting with local communities working for social and environmental justice. Learn about the newest wave of popular struggle in Haiti, as hundreds of thousands of Haitians put their lives on the line to build an inclusive, equitable, just, and sustainable Haiti.

This summer, see the world, meet the people, learn the facts, make a difference!

We hope you’ll join us!

Chiapas: Indigenous Rights & Environmental Justice

July 1 – 9, 2019

Travel to Chiapas to learn about one of the most successful Indigenous rights movements in the Americas – the Zapatista uprising and its ongoing struggle for Indigenous autonomy. From a base in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, we will travel to surrounding communities to speak with indigenous leaders, artists, educators, and students. This delegation will also include a focus on the ways in which Mexico’s criminal justice system disadvantages Indigenous women and the collectives fighting back; on new and intensified environmental assaults; and on U.S. bound migration from Central America through Chiapas.

Ecuador: Social and Environmental Justice from the Andes to the Amazon

July 12 – 20, 2019

Travel to the Ecuadorian highlands and the Amazon basin for a deep-dive into grassroots, Indigenous, and women-led efforts to resist the exploitative toxic practices of extractive industries. You will be introduced to some of the most successful local and international efforts to bring environmental and social justice to the Andes and the Amazon while enjoying Ecuador’s rich biodiversity and cultural traditions.

Haiti’s Popular Uprising: A Call for International Solidarity

June 2 – 11, 2019

Hundreds of thousands of Haitians have taken to the streets in mass mobilizations demanding accountability from Haiti’s political class accused of squandering billions of dollars in proceeds from Venezuela’s discounted PetroCaribe oil program. Chanting “we are hungry, we can’t take it anymore,” protesters are demanding that the thoroughly corrupt and fraudulently elected president, Jovenel Moise, resign immediately. Their demands have been met with vicious repression. It is an urgent moment for international solidarity to break the silence around Haiti. Join us on this timely trip where we will meet with a range of local Haitian citizens and organizations stepping up against tremendous adversity to build an inclusive, equitable, just, and sustainable Haiti.

Photo Credit: Shannon DeCelle

From environmental justice in Ecuador, to Indigenous rights in Mexico, and revolution and change in Cuba, this summer Global Exchange is offering several Reality Tours that will highlight important issues around the world.

Join us as we meet with local leaders and movements to learn about the innovative ways communities and individuals are organizing for social change. Return with a new understanding of the issues and, perhaps most importantly, new ways to engage and support these inspiring movements from home.

Cuba: Revolution and Change

May 18-27, 2018

Be a witness to a rapidly changing Cuba, while engaging in dialogue with local economists, historians, doctors and teachers. Learn about the Cuban revolution while traveling across the country. We’ll start our historical adventure in Santiago where the Cuban Revolution began with the 26th of July Movement. While in Santiago, learn more about the events leading up to the Cuban Revolution as well as celebrate Santiago’s annual Carnival! Continue on to the Sierra Maestra mountains, beautiful Camaguey, Santa Clara and then to Havana.

Haiti: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex

June 2-11, 2018

Join us as we examine the impact that foreign actors, like NGOs and volunteers, have had on disaster relief and development in Haiti. Led by Rea Dol, a Haitian educator and grassroots activist, we will engage local organizations and individuals working to sustainably build education, health, and financial services in their communities.

Ecuador: Social & Environmental Justice from the Andes to the Amazon

July 13-21, 2018

This delegation takes a hard-hitting dive into local and international efforts to bring environmental and social justice to the Andes and the Amazon. You will visit Chevron/Texaco’s toxic waste pits and see, firsthand, the impacts of extractive industries on the environment and Indigenous communities. You’ll visit the Yasuni national park, a UNESCO declared world-biosphere reserve that is under renewed attack for its crude oil. And you will meet with a range of actors resisting in creative and powerful ways, including community run ecotourism programs that are local economic alternatives to natural resource extraction.

The Guelaguetza Festival: Indigenous Resilience in Oaxaca, Mexico

July 19-28, 2018

Explore Indigenous resilience through food, culture, and social movements in Oaxaca — home to one of the largest Indigenous populations in Mexico. During this 10 day trip, you will meet with community leaders, activists, artisans, artists, archaeologists, and experience resistance in different ways. Taste the region’s renowned gastronomic traditions rooted in farm-to-table cuisine and mezcal production. See the preservation of pre-Columbian artifacts and practices, including a visit to the Monte Alban ruins. Attend the Guelaguetza festival, a yearly celebration of the customs of Oaxaca’s Indigenous communities.

Peru: Ancient Civilizations and Modern Day Peru

July 6-17, 2018

Travel from Lima to the Sacred Valley and learn along the way about Peru’s ancient civilizations and contemporary social challenges, all while tasting the country’s world-famous cuisine. From Lima’s informal settlements to Andean villages, you will meet with Indigenous cooperatives, artisans, and NGOs working to empower women, practice fair trade, and preserve their traditions.

Chiapas: Indigenous Rights & Environmental Justice

August 3 – 11, 2018

From a base in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, our delegation will travel to surrounding Indigenous and campesino communities to learn about Chiapas’s long history of mass mobilization and collective resistance to the Mexican government’s repressive imposition of neoliberal agendas. We will see, firsthand, how popular movements like the Zapatistas organize for economic, environmental, and Indigenous justice while getting a unique look into their time-honored traditions.

Bolivia: Spanish Study & Cultural Immersion

August 6-21, 2018

Looking to pair language school with cultural immersion and social justice? During this trip, we will spend mornings in class learning (or brushing up on) Spanish while exploring social justice issues through guest lectures, debates, and group discussions. During our afternoons, we will explore Cochabamba via visits with activists, scientists, journalists, artists, and government officials. On weekends, we’ll head to the Bolivian countryside and learn about climate change, food justice and the coca industry. All the while, you will live with a Bolivian family, providing an intimate opportunity to practice Spanish in everyday situations and get a better feel for the rhythm of Bolivian life.

Mexico’s people are confronting daunting challenges. Bad government and the worlds of pain, violence, impunity and the economic injustice brought with it often color the realities of daily life. But so do courage, creativity, and resistance.

That’s why we want to remind you about some special opportunities to travel to Mexico, both to better understand today’s problems as well as the deep wellsprings of culture that give resilience and hope to those struggling for change. We hope your travels will give you the tools and motivation to speak up and speak out about the distorted picture of Mexico painted by our media and politicians. We encourage you to join us on one of these well-organized, safe and exhilarating trips:

Oaxaca: Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos
October 28 – November 5, 2015
$1,450

21007_10155732792905613_5524048083122057307_nIf you’ve never been to Oaxaca during its famous Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos celebrations, you really should. Join us as we make our annual pilgrimage to Oaxaca at the end of October. Dating back to the Aztecs, this celebration is a family event to remember departed souls and to celebrate the resurrection of their spirits. In addition, explore Oaxaca’s rich culture through excursions to historical archeological ruins, mezcal palenques and artisan workshops. Meet with local social organizations and indigenous leaders, and learn about fair trade/free trade and globalization in Oaxaca.

 

Chiapas: Indigenous Rights and Environmental Justice
March 23-31, 2016
August 7-15, 2016
$1,350

Photo Contest - Zapatista in Front of Zapata, Oventic Mex Jan05 Sandi HammondsJoin Global Exchange as we learn about what has motivated popular movements in Mexico. Examine the recent history of the Chiapas region and hear about challenges facing the struggle for indigenous autonomy. Learn about the direct effects of globalization in the context of NAFTA and the on-going efforts for economic justice and democracy. Dialogue with indigenous peasants who have been working for the right to own the land upon which they live and work, and to govern their communities according to indigenous traditions and customs. We will visit with diverse organizations and their representatives in the area: from religious and community leaders to NGOs and women’s cooperatives, all working for peace and stability in the region. From a base in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, our delegation will travel to surrounding communities to speak with indigenous and campesino organization leaders, activists, educators, students, and artisans.

 

Click here to check out our full list of Reality Tours to Mexico and other countries!

Mexico’s people are confronting daunting challenges. Bad government and the worlds of pain, violence, impunity and the economic injustice brought with it often color the realities of daily life. But so do courage, creativity, and resistance.

That’s why we want to remind you about some special opportunities to travel to Mexico, both to better understand today’s problems as well as the deep wellsprings of culture that give resilience and hope to those struggling for change. We hope your travels will give you the tools and motivation to speak up and speak out about the distorted picture of Mexico painted by our media and politicians. We encourage you to join us on one of these well-organized, safe and exhilarating trips:

Oaxaca: Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos
October 28 – November 5, 2015
$1,450

21007_10155732792905613_5524048083122057307_nIf you’ve never been to Oaxaca during its famous Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos celebrations, you really should. Join us as we make our annual pilgrimage to Oaxaca at the end of October. Dating back to the Aztecs, this celebration is a family event to remember departed souls and to celebrate the resurrection of their spirits. In addition, explore Oaxaca’s rich culture through excursions to historical archeological ruins, mezcal palenques and artisan workshops. Meet with local social organizations and indigenous leaders, and learn about fair trade/free trade and globalization in Oaxaca.

Chiapas: Indigenous Rights and Environmental Justice
March 23-31, 2016
August 7-15, 2016
$1,350

Photo Contest - Zapatista in Front of Zapata, Oventic Mex Jan05 Sandi HammondsJoin Global Exchange as we learn about what has motivated popular movements in Mexico. Examine the recent history of the Chiapas region and hear about challenges facing the struggle for indigenous autonomy. Learn about the direct effects of globalization in the context of NAFTA and the on-going efforts for economic justice and democracy. Dialogue with indigenous peasants who have been working for the right to own the land upon which they live and work, and to govern their communities according to indigenous traditions and customs. We will visit with diverse organizations and their representatives in the area: from religious and community leaders to NGOs and women’s cooperatives, all working for peace and stability in the region. From a base in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, our delegation will travel to surrounding communities to speak with indigenous and campesino organization leaders, activists, educators, students, and artisans.

 

Click here to check out our full list of Reality Tours to Mexico and other countries!

The following was written by Laura Carlsen and originally appeared in the Americas MexicoBlog on January 25th.

It was a remarkable mass for a remarkable man.

The news spread rapidly yesterday morning of the death of Bishop Samuel Ruiz. He died at the age of 86, the day that marked 51 years since his ordination as Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristobal. By 2:30 the Mexico City church had filled with an unusual group of religious leaders, peace activists and figures who have marked Mexican politics over the years. All recalled their work alongside Tatik (“father” in Tzeltal) with a bittersweet blend of loss and gratitude.

I sat in the pews, listening to the first strains of “métale a la marcha, métale al tambor, métale que traigo un pueblo en mi voz…” (Join the march, join the drum, join in, I carry the people in my voice…) watching the faces of hundreds of committed people who in various moments of a long and full life walked alongside Don Sam, El caminante. A history that changed Mexico forever flooded into the room.

Bishop Raúl Vera recalled that Samuel Ruiz arrived in the state of Chiapas to face a reality he had not imagined, a reality that many in Mexico didn’t know existed. He set out to travel to the far corners of the region– not an easy task–and saw with his own eyes the scars of the plantation-owners’ whips on the backs of indigenous men and heard the accounts of how young girls were routinely forced to have their virginity “tested” (lost) by the owners when they decided to marry, among other terrible examples of the feudal conditions his new parishioners suffered. He encountered a system of oppression and brutality that changed his life and he decided the system had to change, through the word of God and an intense social commitment.

It’s worth mentioning that Bishop Raúl Vera came to know his counterpart when the Church sent him as a “coadjutor” to Ruiz in 1995, presumably to temper his radical influence. The opposite happened. In what Vera describes as a conversion experience, he encountered the conditions that had led Don Samuel to embrace a church of and for the poor and soon became a partner in bringing the church down to the people and building a movement to allow its indigenous members to gain their rightful place in the church and in society. To this day, Don Raúl remains as a successor to the work of Don Samuel; now based in Coahuila, his is a strong voice in defense of a human rights as Mexico suffers a new phase of violence and repression.

Next, Father Heriberto Cruz recounted that the reflection among some members of the church, initiated in large part by Don Samuel and his experience in Chiapas in those early days, did not just center on the traditional concern of how the church could alleviate the burden of its members. Ruiz and others began to ask themselves what role the church itself played in their oppression and how to break that oppression. A deep critique of the role of traditional methods of evangelization in suppressing indigenous culture followed. Ruiz learned to speak Tzotzil and Tzeltal and became conversant with  other indigenous languages of the region. He insisted on respect for indigenous cultures–another factor that would bring him into conflict with some elements of the Church that criticized what they viewed as the excessive syncretism of his theology and practices.

Don Samuel Ruiz formed part of and led a movement within the Roman Catholic Church that based its theology on the Vatican II commitment to greater lay participation, the “option for the poor” that shifted attention to the need to serve the historically downtrodden, and the idea that the church cannot ignore injustice without being complicit.

These would become the principles he acted on.  As mediator in the Zapatista indigenous uprising of 1994, Ruiz helped create the conditions for the new indigenous movement that marked not only Mexico but the world. His work as leader of the National Mediation Commission (CONAI) led to an unprecedented dialogue that resulted in the San Andrés Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture, signed and later violated by the federal government. The Accords stand as a tribute to his work and the work of scores of indigenous leaders. They also stand as a tragic reminder that the word of the powerful cannot be trusted. But the spirit of emancipation and peaceful dialogue codified in the Accords survives in the individuals gathered at the mass for Don Samuel Ruiz, one of the principal architects of the peace process, and among the thousands of indigenous people who wait to receive his remains in his beloved state of Chiapas.

Don Samuel insisted that the church of the poor needed a human rights organization in Chiapas faced with the extreme human rights violations taking place. In 1989, he founded the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Center for Human Rights. The Center’s mission is to “walk alongside and at the service of the poor, excluded and organized people who seek to overcome their socioeconomic and political situation, by taking direction and the strength from them to contribute to their project of building a new society where people and communities fully exercise and enjoy their rights.” The mission embodies the strong belief that the church cannot be separated from the struggle for social justice and that it should play a supporting role rather than pronouncing from on high.

These beliefs often put Bishop Ruiz at odds with the powers-that-be in government and in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. They also made him a target of the local caciques, or rural bosses, that ran Chiapas with a iron hand and lorded over the lives of indigenous peoples. He faced aggressive attacks on his character with magnanimity, and patiently continued to build from below. The Diocese became an example of the leadership role of indigenous peoples in defining a new church and empowering communities and the 1994 Zapatista uprising catapulted his patient labor onto a world stage, as the long-ignored demands of indigenous peoples became the lens through which to conceive of a new society.

There were, of course, efforts to dismantle the deep processes of empowering indigenous people within the church and within society. The Mexican government sent in troops and launched military offenses against the communities well after the truce with the EZLN. Meanwhile, the Vatican began to attack the practice of making indigenous men deacons within the church–a centerpiece of effort to break down the distance between indigenous communities and a distant and privileged hierarchy, to literally change the face of the church. When the Roman Catholic hierarchy decided not to name Bishop Vera to the San Cristobal diocese following the retirement of Don Samuel, which would have been a natural choice but for the politics involved, it was seen as an indication of the desire to suppress the progressive religious movement in Chiapas. More recently a plan to divide the San Cristobal diocese has led to suspicions that the hierarchy seeks to weaken Mexico’s only diocese guided by the Second Vatican Council’s decision to promote a closer relationship to the social and political context of parish members.

There was a deep sense of loss among the those attending the mass, but few tears. Over the years, many people feared that Don Samuel would become a martyr rather than die a natural death. He received death threats and created enemies among those who abhorred the idea of a church that championed the rights of the poor and indigenous peoples, since their own power and wealth rested on preserving near-slavery conditions. Bishop Ruiz accepted the risk to his own life. His death at 86 ended a journey on earth that was consistent and effective in following his convictions and that touched and inspired thousands of people who will carry on. The liturgy on Monday did not dwell on the loss, but rather emphasized the meaning of his life and the Catholic belief that he passed into a higher realm.

Bishop Samuel Ruiz’s remains have been sent to San Cristobal, Chiapas to be buried in the Cathedral. Surely he will be welcomed there by the indigenous people he walked alongside over the years. Some fifteen thousand indigenous people came down from the mountains to bid him farewell in 2000 when Ruiz left Chiapas, in a testament to the relationships he forged and his role in their lives and their movement for liberation.

This final farewell reminds us that Don Samuel’s deep commitment to indigenous rights and social justice is not some folkloric moment in Mexico’s colorful past, nor is his life merely a chapter neatly written into our religious and social history. His is not a legacy. Something that hasn’t died leaves no legacy.

Although many of the people present at his mass have gone on to other battles and fronts, Don Sam’s death is a reminder of the enormous tasks still pending. Bishop Vera began the mass by stating “in these dark times, a star has been lifted.” Somber nods from the congregation–mostly human rights defenders and Catholics who work with the poor–reflected agreement that Mexico faces one of the worst moments in recent history for the poor, indigenous and vulnerable, and that Don Sam’s example gives hope and strength.

This reminder brings a renewed sense of responsibility to act. It encourages us to see through the darkness of the times and seek each other out, just as he helped bring together the many diverse individuals that went out to honor him yesterday. The passing of the “Bishop of the Poor” urges us to keep walking the path he cleared and to forge new paths of peace and justice.

By David Kennedy

In July, I traveled to Chiapas, Mexico with a group from Global Exchange, a human rights organization in San Francisco, CA. Chiapas is the southernmost state in Mexico, bordering Guatemala. Our delegation was based in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, a city where a surprise battle in 1994 touched off the globalization debate. We had a full agenda while there, traveling to surrounding communities to speak with indigenous and campesino organizational leaders, activists, educators, students, and artisans. We visited several indigenous communities, a coffee cooperative, and met with diverse organizations and their representatives in the area: from religious and community leaders, to non-government civic organizations and women’s cooperatives, all working for peace and stability in the region. Our group focused on agriculture, fair trade, the global economy, and immigration, and we also learned a great deal about the direct effects of globalization in the context of “free trade” and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Though I live in the border state of Arizona, I didn’t expect to meet people in Chiapas, far more than 1,000 miles away from the U.S.-Mexico border, who had migrated across the border into Arizona. Moreover, each time I spoke with a cab driver or someone local, the very first thing they would mention after hearing I was from Arizona was The Minutemen. Here we were, so far away from the border, yet it seemed everyone was conscious of this vigilante group, though many in my own delegation were not. Five years ago, migrants were not coming to the U.S. from Chiapas. These days, many people are leaving Chiapas, especially the young, and either never returning or coming backed transformed (they don’t take the same jobs, dress and eat differently, and generally don’t take part in their culture). This transformation of the young essentially kills the cultural heritage and traditions of entire communities, and it particularly impacts indigenous communities. Immigration, already a hot issue, is getting worse everyday. More people are crossing the border, and the number of tragic migrant deaths along the Arizona-Mexico border is continually increasing. The desperation of migrants grows each day, and with it, the attitude in the U.S. towards immigrants is worsening. Rarely are those that die crossing the border referred to as “people,” “migrants,” or “human beings,” but rather as “illegals,” “aliens,” or “criminals.” It is a very methodical way of dehumanizing people who are economic refugees, adding yet another sad chapter to an already extensive American history of this despicable practice.

Immigration has always existed, but it has increased tenfold since NAFTA was enacted in 1994. Officially, government statistics say migration to the U.S. from Mexico has, at the very least, tripled in the last decade. The reality is that it is even higher, but tripling in the past decade? Could it be just a coincidence this has occurred since NAFTA was enacted? The root causes of migration, mainly failed policies promoted by NAFTA and the structure of the economic system, create the economic destitution that generates, predictably, mass departure. Obviously we have to look at immigration in a historical context, but NAFTA is a real watershed event. One reason for the ensuing flood of immigrants is that government subsidized corn from the U.S. is being dumped on Mexican markets at artificially low prices. Billions of our tax dollars are being used to subsidize agribusinesses, the vast majority of it going to a few HUGE corporations rather than the dying breed of small family farmers. These subsidies allow agricultural products to be sold for less than the cost it took to produce them. In the past, Mexico placed protective tariffs on imports from the U.S., but NAFTA eliminates these. Mexican farmers, who are not subsidized and generally work small family or communal farms, can not compete with Cargill, ADM, Monsanto, or other multinational conglomerates. Consequently, Mexican farmers are left with a crop they sell for less than it cost them to produce, hence they go into more and more debt and become further impoverished. This is simply a raw deal, a rigged trade policy that is driving millions of farmers off their land and into the cities to look for work, where jobs are already scarce. Overwhelmed in accommodating this population influx, the cities provide few opportunities and inevitably Mexicans head north of the border rather than live in poverty and starve. In fact, a large percentage of the people migrating to the U.S. are family farmers and campesinos who work the land. Migration has literally become a “survival strategy” for millions left jobless. NAFTA has failed the Mexican and American people, clearly a tragic failure for the Mexican people, but it has certainly been a boon for corporations. One answer to curb rising immigration is to cut off corporate welfare funding to Cargill, ADM, Monsanto, etc. so that Mexicans can make a decent living and remain with their families, in Mexico, which is what they would prefer to do.

While in Chiapas, we met with agricultural workers and representatives and learned about issues surrounding Mexican agriculture. For example, the Mexican border state of Chihuahua used to produce apples for the country, but since NAFTA was enacted, cheaper apples are imported from the U.S. (again, subsidized by the U.S. government). Domestic apple growers protested to the Mexican government, which responded in typical “free trade” talk: ‘the Mexican public can now save money buying cheaper apples.’ While Mexicans may be able to save money, what happens to the side of the economy that produces? If we don’t produce, we don’t earn, we can’t buy. With NAFTA, people are seen only as consumers of cheaper goods, nothing more. The irony is that those apples imported from the U.S. are picked by Mexican migrants left jobless by “free trade” policies who have come to work in the U.S., and it seems much of the American public doesn’t want them. There is a clear double standard here. Immigrants are demonized while the economic policy that causes migration and the corporations that benefit from it get a free ride. The reality is that so-called “free trade,” and indeed capitalism, forces people across borders—it is inevitable. It is a known and expected consequence of NAFTA, and it should be noted that the migratory effects were known about beforehand by both the U.S. and Mexican governments. It is not that they didn’t know, it’s that they simply don’t care. Not coincidentally, the U.S. has spent billions militarizing the border since 1994, with such missions as Operation Gatekeeper, Operation Blockade, Operation Safeguard, Operation Hold-the-Line, Operation Triple Strike, and Operation Rio Grande. None of this has slowed immigration. It is yet another example of America attacking the symptom, in this case immigration, instead of the disease, the economic system, which is the source of incredible misery, exploitation, and wealth disparity throughout the world.

Coffee, along with corn, is an ever-present crop in Chiapas, and the state is one of the largest producers of organic coffee in the world. Meanwhile, the United States is the largest consumer of coffee in the world, devouring one-fifth of the global total. At the same time, most Americans are unaware of the poverty and dire conditions that coffee workers are left in. Small coffee farmers, too, receive prices for their coffee that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt. Over the last decade, coffee prices have plummeted, resulting in hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers being forced to leave their lands. It is one thing to read about this happening, but quite another to see and meet with people who personally experienced this, and it deeply affected me. Currently, the world market price for coffee is (approximately) a pitifully low $.55 per pound. Alternatively, Fair Trade farmers are paid a minimum price of $1.26 per pound. With Fair Trade, farmers, workers, and artisans receive a sufficient price and agree to not use abusive child labor or forced labor, and to use ecologically sustainable methods. What it results in is investment in community development, education, healthcare, and environmental stewardship.

One of my most eye-opening experiences was when our group visited MayaVinic, a Fair Trade certified coffee cooperative. Meeting with representatives of the coop, we learned all about coffee, everything from planting the seed to the harvest to the market. You might say it was “Coffee 101,” with the class meeting inside the MayaVinic warehouse. After a 3 hour presentation and a question and answer session, we took a field trip to the coffee farm, in this case the farm being the jungle since the coffee is shade grown under the canopy of the trees. I was amazed, and somewhat disturbed, at how labor-intensive coffee farming is. All the weeding and picking is done entirely by hand on steep hillsides that go on for acres and acres, seemingly, without end. The Mayavinic community also has a firm belief in growing coffee organically and being stewards of the land. Can Fair Trade make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities? It does make a difference. We saw a notable difference between the indigenous communities that sell their coffee at the world market price and those that sell to the Fair Trade market. The Fair Trade communities typically had more adequate housing, infrastructure, and development, whereas some of the world market communities did not have electricity or running water. With the more equitable price, the MayaVinic coop is able to invest more money and resources into health, education, housing, and community development. Kids do not have to work and can go school. The coop members were able to buy a truck to provide transportation for community members, as well as to move the coffee. In short, they had more economic security and autonomy. This is the type of economic development that allows for families and communities to stay together instead of being torn apart as young people, especially, migrate in search of work.

Purchasing Fair Trade certified coffee is a concrete and easy example of how each of us can address the immigration issue, by changing the economics of what causes immigration in the first place. It’s a win-win situation. Certainly first world consumers can afford to pay a minimal increase in price in order to provide a sustainable income to third world farmers so they may live in dignity. Buying a Fair Trade cup of coffee is a simple action that makes a difference in people’s lives. It provides the economic security necessary for communities to maintain their families and their land. A serious examination of immigration forces us to take a more critical look at the economic system that produces such poverty that engenders immigration in the first place. Questioning and learning more about the structure and underlying motives of NAFTA and capitalism reinforces the assertion that an alternative economic system must be built, as the status quo is no longer an option. To “secure” borders, the incredible wealth disparity between (and within) rich and poor nations must be narrowed. If we are to truly address immigration, we can not allow human beings to live in economic misery and exploitation, at best, and economic slavery at worst. It is simply not fair, not just, and not humane.

For a long time Chiapas has been one of our Reality Tour destinations, and the popularity of the program continues to grow. Because our  trips are meant to educate  groups about places that we visit, we do not go in with a tourist mentality. Rather, our goal is to help transform the consciousness of our participants by first-hand experience.

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Chiapas is a place to learn how indigenous communities have struggled and resisted predatory global interests. Through their perseverance and strength and resilience through the centuries, they maintained their traditions and independence.

Explore the diversity of political challenges such as how indigenous communities keep their historical memory, embrace their culture and traditions such as talking and writing their own language, Mexico has more than 60 indigenous languages, many of which are practiced in Chiapas. If indigenous communities, women organizations, fair trade and the rights of farmers are matters that you care about, consider visiting Chiapas for nine days this summer and live the experience of interacting with indigenous communities.

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 You will visit schools, human rights centers and local  youth and children’s rights organizations as part of our  Reality Tours.

 By joining our Reality Tours to Chiapas you will learn  about unfamiliar cultures, meet with people from all ways  of life, and establish meaningful relationships with other  cultures.