On the Murder of Tomas Martinez Pinacho

ILPS Commission 3 on Political Prisoners and Human Rights vehemently condemns the traitorous assassination in broad day light of Tomas Martínez Pinacho, founding leader of the Union of Poor Peasants, and a member of the highest level of national leadership of the Popular Revolutionary Front. He was gunned down inside a taqueria on Monday afternoon, August 24, a few hours after he participated in a day of protest in the morning, where they demanded for justice, health, social security, food and jobs.

We demand a full, thorough and independent investigation of this dastardly attack against a leader of poor peasants and the Popular Revolutionary Front. We hold accountable Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Governor of Oaxaca, Alejandro Murat and the Secretary of Finance Vicente Mendoza Tellez for this senseless murder. We echo the call of the FPR for the resignation of Genaro Hernandez, municipal president of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, and immediately disband the paramilitary units and criminal elements under his command.

The government of Mexico and its military henchmen are dreaming if they believe that killing Tomas Martinez Pinacho would silence and stop the movement of people in Mexico and particularly Oaxaca in pursuing their demands for system change. On the contrary, the killing of this respected leader of the people’s movement would assuredly strengthen their determination to end the anti poor, exploitative system widely prevailing in Mexico. ###