A hundred evangelical Christians from the Mexican municipality of Chanal gathered in the car park of the Palace of Justice in San Cristóbal de Las Casas to demand justice for Adán Núñez Gómez and his father, who were allegedly attacked by a group of transport workers on 31 January.

Both Christians publicly denounced that they were beaten with stones and sticks for no apparent reason, causing serious injuries including eye damage and the risk of losing their sight.

They pointed out that a formal complaint has already been filed with the Chiapas State Attorney General's Office, and asked that the case not go unpunished.

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During the protest, demonstrators called for the intervention of both the governor of Chiapas, Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, and the state authorities to ensure security in the region and clarify the facts.

They stated that they will continue with peaceful demonstrations until there is progress in the investigation and those responsible are punished.

Persecution of evangelicals in Ixmiquilpan

Meanwhile, a group of evangelicals from the Prince of Peace church in the town of Cantinela, Ixmiquilpan, denounced violations of their civil rights and religious freedom.

They pointed out that local authorities were forcing them to pay fees and perform stewardship duties to venerate the 'Lord of Jalpan', even though they do not belong to the traditionalist Roman Catholic community.

Ixmiquilpan is one of the 84 municipalities that form the Mexican state of Hidalgo, with a population of around 100,000.

Pastor Gabriel Chavarría Salvador and some members of the church pointed out that they have faced reprisals from the local representative after failing to comply with the impositions.

Their drinking water supply was cut off, and the local authority of Ixmiquilpan prohibited them from burying their dead in the local cemetery and even took away some of their land.

The evangelical community of 200 people said that this situation has been ongoing for several years without any real solution.

Government silence

On Tuesday 17 February, they once again went to the government palace in Pachuca, to try to resolve their situation, but were only given appointments that never took place.

“We have come to the government several times, but they send us to Religious Affairs or tell us that the secretary is busy, and ask us if we want to wait or if we would prefer to make an appointment for later. We always agree to the appointment”, said one of the victims.

Finally, they reminded state authorities that they have always fulfilled their civic duties, and warned that if their concerns are not heard, they will protest alongside their entire church community on a larger scale, to raise awareness.

Luis Alberto Martín, an affected resident, said that the local government asks them for a fee of 500 pesos (25€) per year per household for the patron saint's festival.

If they are chosen to be stewards, they must carry out several activities throughout the year, such as praying rosaries, attending mass, and raising funds for local Roman Catholic festivals.

“If you don't want to go to a rosary, they charge you 300 pesos (15€), and if you don't want to go and collect a statue of the Virgin, it's 500 pesos”, he explained.