U.S Campaign to Free Nestora Salgado
Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juarez, A.C.
Centro Prodh
Monday, June 1, 2015

Good afternoon. As a representative of the U.S. delegation of the U.S. Free Nestora Campaign, we are here to show our solidarity with the people of Mexico who continue to take to the streets for justice.

We also are here to demand that President Peña Nieto free Nestora Salgado and all the many political prisoners especially Gonzalo Molina and Arturo Campos, currently on hunger strikes together with Nestora.

The first Free Nestora Committee was organized together Nestora’s family in 2013 in Seattle, Washington. From there, the Campaign to Free Nestora grew in collaboration with the Comité Nestora Libre here in Mexico.

Today, the Campaign is an international effort, demanding freedom in several states in my country, and also in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Europe.

We recognize that Mexico suffers from a government that receives military and financial aid from the United States under Plan Mérida, and know that this has bloody consequences for the Mexican people. We denounce the Plan Mérida and recognize that it is the job of us who live in the U.S. end it.

The partial victory of Nestora transfer from a high security prison a few days ago took place only due to the bravery of Nestora and the pressure of an international movement that continues to demand her freedom. We all need to remain strong until all political prisoners are free.

I know that our movement in alliance with other movements for justice in our hemisphere has the capacity to bring about the changes we all need as activists, workers, immigrants, as indigenous peoples and as women like Nestora Salgado and men like Gonzalo Molina and Arturo Campos.

Thank you. Continue reading →