The members of the City Council in Renton, WA have formally moved to recognize Congressman Adam Smith’s efforts to Free Nestora, and have passed a Resolution recognizing the details of her arrest and imprisonment.
Read the full resolution here.
Brazililan women from the Articulation de Mujeres held a protest for Nestora
and the other political prisoners demanding they be freed. See photos below.
Este 31 de julio acudió Conceicao Amorim, de Articulación de Mujeres, con dos compañeras más a entregar firmas de numerosas personas y representantes de organizaciones brasileñas exigiendo al gobierno mexicano la libertad de Nestora y comunitarios.
August 21, 2014 will be the one year anniversary of Nestora’s arrest and imprisonment. For 12 months, she has been denied the right to see her lawyers. Orders to free her by a federal judge have been ignored. Kept in isolation without medical attention, she represents hundreds of people in self defense groups who have been jailed for defending their communities against powerful, politically connected criminal cartels.
In June, the Mexican government expanded its occupation and repression in Michoacán, arresting Dr. José Mireles and nearly 100 of his followers. They were on their way to regain public control of Lázaro Cárdenas port, the largest seaport in Mexico, from a drug cartel known as the Knights Templar. This criminal syndicate used the port to export goods and resources stolen from the people of the region. Today Nestora Salgado and Dr. José Mireles are powerful symbols of popular resistance against Mexican government corruption and unbridled crime. As U.S. military aid to Mexico increases, the violence continues.
August 21 will be a day of International protest calling for the release of Nestora, Dr. Mireles, and all political prisoners. Join a location near you in international solidarity!
Free Nestora Salgado!
Free Dr. José Mireles!
Free all political prisoners!
Stop the government repression of self-defense forces and indigenous leaders!
End U.S. military aid to Mexico!
Seattle
Thursday, August 21, 4 PM
Federal Building Plaza, 915 Second Ave, Seattle (Downtown, between Madison & Marion)
206-722-2453; FreeNestora.Seattle@gmail.com
Portland
Thursday, August 21, 12 PM
Mexican Consulate, 1305 SW 12th Avenue, Portland (Corner of SW 12th Ave and SW Morrison St)
503-516-2151; jsardo60@hotmail.com
San Francisco
Thursday, August 21, 7:30 AM
Mexican Consulate, 532 Folsom Street (between 1st and 2nd), San Francisco
415-864-1278; freenestora.sanfrancisco@earthlink.net
Los Angeles
Thursday, August 21, 4 PM
Federal Building, Downtown LA (300 N. Los Angeles St)
323-732-6416; freenestora.la@gmail.com
New York City
Thursday, August 21, 1 PM
Mexican Consulate, 27 E 39th St, Manhattan (between Madison Ave and Park Ave)
917-714-6453; FreeNestora.NYC@gmail.com
Melbourne, Australia
Saturday, August 23, 1 PM
The old GPO, corner of Bourke Street and Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
03 9388-0062; freedom.socialist.party@ozemail.com.au
For information about protests in these countries:
Costa Rica: infoprtcr@gmail.com
Dominican Republic: hco2245@gmail.com
Mexico: pos.org.mx@gmail.com
For information about actions elsewhere, contact fspnatl@igc.org.
2 de julio 2014
Partido Obrera Socialista
El gobierno federal cumplió sus amenazas al detener y encarcelar a José Manuel Mireles y a 80 de sus compañeros autodefensas. Lo hizo justo cuando se aprestaban a tomar el puerto de Lázaro Cárdenas, bastión de los delincuentes del cartel de los Caballeros Templarios y eje estratégico para la exportación del hierro y otros minerales que el crimen organizado se roba, desde hace años y con total impunidad, para venderlos a China. El robo de minerales ocurre a través del despojo a las comunidades de los estados de Michoacán, Jalisco y Colima y le dio ganancias mal habidas a los templarios del orden de 1000 millones de dólares en cinco años.
No es casualidad que el “comisionado” Alfredo Castillo, procónsul de Peña Nieto en Michoacán, les marcara el alto a Mireles y a sus compañeros: ¡Justamente cuando las Autodefensas Michoacanas estaban por asestarle un golpe de muerte al imperio económico templario, la burguesía mexicana puso el grito en el cielo!
Algunas de las mentes más lúcidas de México han denunciado la “sociedad de ayuda mutua” que establecen, de manera natural, el crimen organizado y la burguesía mexicana: la narcoviolencia le sirve al capitalismo por que despeja el camino a las transnacionales mineras al aterrorizar a la población, obligándola a desplazarse y a abandonar los territorios apetecidos, ricos en mineral. Al mismo tiempo, con el manído cuento del “combate al narcotráfico” el Estado de los capitalistas justifica la militarización del territorio nacional que tanto atemoriza al pueblo para que se ejerza, sin ningún miramiento, la represión más brutal en contra de los pueblos indígenas, contra el EZLN, en contra de los trabajadores, los maestros de la CNTE, los pobres y sus líderes.
¡El crimen organizado y el gobierno de México son familia! ¡Son una sola y la misma cosa!
Además, la inseguridad y el dominio de los delincuentes continúan en vastas regiones del país, donde las autoridades son incompetentes para enfrentar a los criminales o son sus cómplices. Apenas el 30 de junio el diario Reforma consideró como su noticia más importante la formación en Tlalnepantla (prácticamente dentro de la ciudad de México), de un grupo de autodefensa que cuenta con el apoyo de más de 600 vecinos. La organización armada de la población continúa y el apresamiento de Mireles, el mantenimiento en prisión de la comandante de la policía comunitaria de Olinalá, Guerrero, Nestora Salgado, y de otros autodefensas y comunitarios es la respuesta del gobierno para detener la acción independiente del pueblo.
El gobierno de Peña Nieto aborrece a las Policías Comunitarias de los Pueblos Indígenas y Autodefensas que han surgido en la mayor parte del territorio nacional.
Ya pronto no le alcanzarán las mazmorras para encerrar a los hombres y mujeres valientes y dignos que se atreven a enfrentar la ignominia y los abusos de un narcogobierno vendepatrias.
Ayer Nestora Salgado y sus compañeros de la Policía Comunitaria del Estado de Guerrero fueron encarcelados.
Hoy están en la cárcel José Manuel Mireles Valverde y sus compañeros Autodefensas de Michoacán.
Es deber de todos defender a estos mexicanos y mexicanas rebeldes y nobles. No debemos permitir que el gobierno siga ensañándose en contra del pueblo y sus líderes.
Es por ello que convocamos
AL PUEBLO DE MÉXICO
A LAS ORGANIZACIONES REVOLUCIONARIAS
A LOS PUEBLOS INDIGENAS Y AL EZLN
A LAS POLICIAS COMUNITARIAS
A LAS AUTODEFENSAS
A LOS TRABAJADORES
A LOS SINDICATO INDEPENDIENTES
A LOS ESTUDIANTES
A UNIFICARNOS POR LA LIBERTAD INMEDIATA E INCONDICIONAL DE JOSÉ MANUEL MIRELES, DE NESTORA SALGADO Y DE TODOS SUS COMPAÑEROS PRESOS POLÍTICOS.
LLAMAMOS A ORGANIZAR UNA MOVILIZACIÓN NACIONAL POR LA LIBERACIÓN DE LOS PRESOS, Y PARA EXIGIR UN ALTO A LA REPRESION, RESPETO A LOS PUEBLOS INDIGENAS Y SUS POLICIAS COMUNITARIAS, RESPETO A LAS AUTODEFENSAS EN TODO MÉXICO
PARTIDO OBRERO SOCIALISTA
July 2, 2014
Statement by the Partido Obrero Socialista, Mexico
Freedom for Dr. Mireles, Nestora Salgado and all the imprisoned community activist and self-defense forces.
We call for the formation of a National Committee for the release of these activists.
The federal government’s fulfilled its threats to arrest and detain José Manuel Mireles and 80 of his fellow self-defense force compañeros. It did this just as they were preparing to take over the seaport of Lázaro Cardenas, which is a stronghold of the Knights Templar drug cartel and a strategic hub for the export of iron and other minerals which organized crime has stolen for years with impunity and sold to China. The theft of these minerals occurs by seizing communities and land in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco and Colima. These ill-gotten gains have delivered one billion dollars in five years to the organized criminals of the Knights Templar.
It is no coincidence that the “commissioner” Alfredo Castillo, representative of President Peña Nieto in Michoacán, has targeted Mireles and his companions for arrest. This occurred just when self-defense forces were about to deal a death blow to the Templar economic empire. This is when the Mexican bourgeoisie cried out!
Some of the most respected minds of Mexico have denounced the “mutual aid society” that operates seamlessly between organized crime and the Mexican bourgeoisie. The violence of drug trafficking serves the interests of capitalism by opening the road for multinational large-scale mining companies to terrorize local populations and force the abandonment of mineral-rich homelands. At the same time using the well-worn narrative of “fighting drugs,” the capitalist state justifies the militarization of the countryside and unleashes the most brutal repression against the indigenous peoples, against the Zapatista EZLN, against workers, against CNTE teachers, and against the poor and their leaders.
Organized crime and the government of Mexico are members of the same family! They are one and the same thing!
In addition, the insecurity and the reign of organized crime continue to plague vast regions of the country where the authorities are incompetent to deal with the criminal elements or their accomplices. In a report on June 30 the Reforma newspaper presented as its most important news item a story about town of Tlalnepantla (practically within the city of Mexico) where self-defense forces have the support of more than 600 residents.
The arming of the Mexican population continues. The jailing of Mireles and the continued imprisonment of Nestora Salgado, the community police commander of Olinalá, Guerrero, along with other self-defense and community activists is the response of the government which wants to crush the independent action of the people .
The Peña Nieto government loathes the indigenous community police and the self-defense forces that have emerged throughout the majority of Mexican territory.
Pretty soon the prisons and dungeons of Mexico will not suffice to hold all the brave men and women who dare to stand up to the evil and abuse of the drug-trafficking, traitorous Mexican government.
Almost a year ago, Nestora Salgado and her community police compañeros in Guerrero were imprisoned.
Today José Manuel Mireles Valverde and his self-defense compatriots from Michoacan are jailed.
It is our duty to defend these noble rebels–Mexican men and women. We must not allow the government to continue to rage against the Mexican people and their leaders.
That is why we issue the following call
TO THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO
TO ALL REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATIONS
TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE EZLN
TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE
TO THE SELF-DEFENSE FORCES
TO THE WORKERS
TO THE INDEPENDENT UNIONS
AND TO ALL THE STUDENTS
TO UNITE FOR THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF JOSE MANUEL MIRELES, NESTORA SALGADO AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONER COMPANEROS.
WE ISSUE THIS CALL TO ORGANIZE A NATIONAL MOBILIZATION FOR THE FREEDOM OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND FOR A HALT TO THE REPRESSION AGAINST THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND AGAINST THE COMMUNITY POLICE AND FOR RESPECT IN THE TREATMENT OF ALL THE SELF DEFENSE FORCES THROUGHOUT MEXICO.
PARTIDO OBRERO SOCIALISTA
Supporters of the campaign to free Nestora Salgado in Australia participated in the annual NAIDOC march in Melbourne, 11 July 2014. NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For information abut the history of NAIDOC see: http://www.goingrank.com.au/naidoc.html
Stephen Durham of NYC speaks on why he supports the campaign for Nestora’s freedom. Video is en español. Click the above image to view the video.
Supporters of freedom for Nestora Salgado and Chelsea Manning marched in New York City pride parade this weekend with colorful banners calling for the release of all political prisoners.
Guerrero: Community Police Leader Nestora Salgado Still in Federal Prison
More than four months ago, I wrote about Nestora Salgado, a regional coordinator of the Community Police of Olinalá [Guerrero], who was illegally detained in retaliation for her courageous work against organized crime and municipal corruption; specifically, she was arrested for committing the crime of cattle rustling (stealing animals/livestock) and for presumably being involved in the murders of two ranchers. Accomplices of the official filed a complaint against her for “kidnapping.”
Nestora was arrested in August 2013 during an impressive combined operation by military, state and municipal forces. She was taken first to Acapulco, where she spent six hours incommunicado, then moved a thousand kilometers [622 miles] away, to a maximum security prison in Nayarit. Initially, they ordered ‘preventive prison’ [remanded to prison] thanks to two lawsuits of ordinary…
View original post 818 more words
News Release
June 17, 2014
For release: Immediately
Contact: Su Docekal
206-953-5601 (cell)
FreeNestora.Seattle@gmail.com
Congressman Adam Smith and Washington state activists demand justice for indigenous leader Nestora Salgado, imprisoned in Mexico
In a crowded courtroom at Seattle University’s School of Law, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, Washington, joined human rights advocates and attorneys in defense of naturalized U.S. citizen Nestora Salgado, who has been illegally imprisoned in Mexico, without trial, since August 2013.
Salgado had been elected to lead the community police force in her desperately poor hometown of Olinalá when she ran afoul of the authorities while exercising her duties under Guerrero state law. While attempting to rid the area of violent crime and corruption, she was falsely charged with kidnapping and sent to a federal prison six hundred miles from her home. After 10 months in prison, she has yet to see her lawyers. A dozen other Olinalá residents who came to her defense are also under arrest.
“I am outraged at the reports of deplorable conditions and treatment that violate Ms. Salgado’s basic human rights,” said Rep. Smith, who represents her congressional district. “Mexico has virtually made no effort to follow due process.”
Rep. Smith has urged Secretary of State John Kerry to press both the Mexican authorities to treat Ms. Salgado fairly and the U.S. Embassy to “use all means necessary to ensure her health and safety while she is detained. “Let the story be told,” he said, “shame the Mexican government into doing the right thing.”
Professor Thomas Antkowiak, director of the International Human Rights Clinic at Seattle University School of Law, which leads the international litigation of the case, reported that she is being held in a maximum-security prison, which denies her clean water and medical treatment. A Mexican congressional delegation, which traveled to the prison two weeks ago corroborated that she is enduring “psychological torture.” He added that in March, “a Mexican federal judge ruled that she was acting legally as an authorized leader of her indigenous community, and ordered her immediate release.” The Guerrero state court has refused to release her and is looking into adding more state charges to those she already faces.
“My mom is a person with strong morals and a huge heart,” said Grisel Rodriguez, Salgado’s daughter who spoke at the conference. “That is why she never forgot her hometown, or the situation that the family lived in back in Olinalá. When intense violence tore into the communities in Guerrero after 2000, she tried to help any way she could and that is how she got involved in the Community Police, or Communitaria. The Community Police is a legal organization that works under Guerrero state law 701 which allows indigenous communities to form autonomous police forces.”
“They are not gun-toting vigilantes,” explained Rodriquez, “they are community people who primarily do social service work, such as providing hurricane relief to people who were forgotten by the state government after the tropical storm last October. Now my mother is a political prisoner,” she said, holding back tears. “My family and I are pleading for your help to secure her release and to bring her back home.”
In answer to a question from the media, she explained that neither Washington State Senator Patty Murray nor Senator Maria Cantwell had taken any action despite her meeting with their staffs months ago.
Su Docekal, chair of the Freedom for Nestora Committee in Seattle traced the beginnings of the fight for Salgado’s freedom to December 10, 2013 when local activists organized an action in front of Seattle’s Mexican Consulate. “Word had spread,” reported Docekal, “and simultaneous protests were held in five other U.S. cities and in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Australia, France and Austria.
Docekal said that following Salgado’s imprisonment, dozens of other community police were also arrested, and twelve still remain in prison. “They include indigenous leaders Gonzalo Molina and Arturo Campos who led protests after Nestora’s arrest, and whose families our committee is also supporting. All of the detainees are from towns and villages which sit on huge reserves of gold and silver and that are resisting the encroachment of international mining companies, such as Goldcorp, Inc., based in Vancouver, BC, which are ravaging their land, water and way of life.”
Stephen Durham of the Committee for Revolutionary International Regroupment (CRIR), which with the Partido Obrero Socialista is leading the fight to free Salgado in Mexico and coordinating international support work, asked whether international legal initiatives have been filed. Antkowiak responded that the Legal Clinic has filed petitions with The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Inter-American Commission Human Rights, which are both now closely monitoring the case.
Student Miriam Padilla also spoke for the Freedom for Nestora/Libertad para Nestora Committee. “Nestora’s story touches people from many backgrounds,” she said. “She and her family are working-class people. Jose, Nestora’s husband, is a carpenter and Nestora held jobs as a custodian, maid and restaurant worker. Her outspoken feminism and her advocacy for her indigenous community have won her wide support. Latino, African-American and Native American communities, labor unions and women’s organizations have all spoken out on her behalf.”
“Nestora Salgado reminds me of Rosa Parks,” said Padilla, “who was arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance, but whose act of defiance began a movement.” She thanked those present for their support and noted that they represented a sample of the wide endorsements that Nestora’s fight has received. Among those present were: Herbie Martin, Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO and A. Philip Randolph Institute; Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Jimmy Haun, Political Director, Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters; Patricia Coley, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 46; James Williams, Seattle Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee; Stephen Durham, Committee for Revolutionary International Regroupment (CRIR) and Campaign to Free Nestora Salgado, New York City; Alejandra Gonza, international human rights attorney; Steve Hoffman, Washington Federation of State Employees, Local 304; and Fred Hyde, Freedom Socialist Party (FSP). Padilla thanked the FSP for being “one of the first groups to initiate this campaign because of its longtime involvement in immigration and indigenous struggles.”
Ann Rogers, a Chippewa elder of Seattle Radical Women, observed: “Standing up for basic human rights protection of communal land and the equality of women should not land a person in a federal prison. There is something very wrong with a government that allows this to happen.”
A statement by El Centro de la Raza concluded that “We need to increase awareness of Nestora Salgado’s case and send a clear message that we stand in solidarity with the community of Olinalá, Guerrero. Their leaders are unjustly detained for seeking a dignified, humane existence safe from crime and violence.”
The Freedom for Nestora Committee (Freenestora.org) urged supporters to write letters to Washington Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urging them to intervene on Nestora’s behalf. They also announced that if Salgado is not free by August 21 — one year since her imprisonment, an International Day of Action is being planned by her supporters in a number of countries.
The Seattle Committee meets on the first and third Saturdays of each month, at noon, at 5018 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118. For more information or to make a donation visit www.FreeNestora.org, email FreeNestora.Seattle@gmail.com or call 206-953-5601.
Freedom for Political Prisoners Committee 