Civil Mission Denied Security to Reach Attacked Towns in Guerrero; Authorities Accused of Betrayal

A civilian observation mission seeking to reach communities in Guerrero, Mexico, that have been under brutal attack by the criminal organization 'Los Ardillos' has been met with a shocking betrayal by authorities. The mission, designated as the Sixth Civil Observation Mission, was denied the promised security escort, effectively leaving them vulnerable and unable to fulfill their objective of documenting grave human rights violations and offering support to the displaced populations of Tula, Xicotlán, and Acahuehuetlán.

This failure by federal, state, and municipal authorities represents a profound breach of trust. The mission members were notified just minutes before their scheduled meeting with state security forces that no accompaniment would be provided. This leaves the mission, and by extension the vulnerable communities they sought to aid, exposed to further violence. The mission has explicitly stated that they hold the Mexican state, at all three levels of government, responsible for any harm that may befall them.

Despite the setback, the mission members eventually managed to reach Alcozacán later that evening. However, the initial denial of security highlights a disturbing pattern of official neglect and potential complicity in the face of escalating cartel violence. The 'Los Ardillos' have terrorized these Nahua communities for days, besieging villages, burning homes, and firing upon residents from hillsides, even employing armed drones. The inability of the state to guarantee safe passage for a civilian mission underscores the dire security situation and the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Mexico.

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Nuevamente las autoridades federales, estatales y municipales traicionan su palabra. La autoridad federal se había comprometido a brindar el acompañamiento a la Misión Civil de Observación que conformamos y que se dirige rumbo al territorio de la Montaña Baja de Guerrero, especialmente a la comunidad de Alcozacán