Riots in Mexican indigenous community due to false versions of covid-19

Residents of an indigenous community in the Mexican state of Chiapas (south) vandalized this Monday the city hall and a hospital to protest the fumigations against dengue that they suspect are being used to poison them, amid false versions of the covid-19.

The municipality of Villa las Rosas denounced in a statement that these disturbances were orchestrated by “false leaders” who seek to “destabilize” this community of some 28,000 inhabitants, mostly indigenous.

This is the second rebellion led by indigenous people from Chiapas after public buildings were also attacked in the community of Venustiano Carranza on May 28 amid false reports on social networks that deny the existence of the new coronavirus or allegations that the authorities are seeking spread the disease in fumigations against dengue.

“The fumigators have been polluting … They were fumigating at night, they were spraying liquid to kill people,” a peasant from Villa las Rosas told AFP when questioned about the reasons for the protest.

This peasant, who for security requested anonymity, said that in his community they do not believe in the existence of covid-19, but he accused doctors and authorities of poisoning and not giving proper medical attention to residents. “They come with a little headache and they take him out dead in ten, twenty minutes,” he claimed.

Another of the triggers would be the prohibition that a peasant who died from covid-19 be veiled, which sparked the anger of his family and neighbors, who went out to protest in the streets.

“The men entered the mayor’s office to (try to) burn it,” another villager who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal told AFP.

The community hospital was vandalized, its director suffered several blows and set an ambulance on fire.

The state attorney’s office reported that an investigation has already begun.

In other localities such as Simojovel, Totolapa and Arriaga, the inhabitants have also organized to prevent the passage of health personnel who carry out brigades to report and alert about covid-19.

Mexico records nearly 16,000 deaths and almost 134,000 infections from the new coronavirus.

str / sem / lda