New Ruling on the Case of Anarchist Miguel Peralta

On February 20, the court in Oaxaca again ruled on an appeal in the case of our compañero and friend, Miguel Peralta Betanzos.

For more than 12 years the Mazatec people have resisted and countered the cacique attacks against their territory and community.

On Friday, the First Collegiate Court for Criminal and Labor Matters in the State of Oaxaca issued a “partial” ruling on the case:

ABSOLVING Miguel of the charge of attempted homicide.

LEAVING OPEN HIS PROCESS for the charge of homicide.

In both cases, the arguments provided by the legal defense and the evidence were more than sufficient to not only understand Miguel’s innocence but also to demonstrate the absurdity, capriciousness, and arrogance of the accusations of the cacique Zepeda Lagunas family against members of the community assembly.

- To all those who have supported and shown their solidarity, we appreciate your presence and attention!
- To the legal defense who have put so much sweat, effort, and determination into this case, thank you so much!
- To those who have provided psychosocial support and helped us out of trouble, much love and gratitude!
- To our anarchist comrades who have shown solidarity and selflessness, contributing to many initiatives and ideas, you will always be our accomplices!
- To the anthropological team that produced a valuable expert report, here we continue!
- To the free, self-managed, pirate, and autonomous media projects that have contributed and helped bring this history to different places, we are forever grateful!
- To all those who have put their effort and heart into this—whether as organizations or individuals—our infinite gratitude. You are always in our thoughts and you can count on us!
- And of course, the Mazatec people and families who have received us, although we don’t speak their language, infinite reciprocity!

Thanks for being here and continuing, the struggle never ends.

Eloxochitlán and Miguel, always free!

May the mountains have our backs.

Yorch always present in our hearts and actions.

Support Group in Solidarity with Miguel Peralta

#MiguelPeraltaLibre #EloxLibre #Oaxaca #Autonomía #Mazatec #CommunityResistance

New Ruling on the Case of Anarchist Miguel Peralta

On February 20, the court in Oaxaca again ruled on an appeal in the case of our compañero and friend, Miguel Peralta Betanzos.

For more than 12 years the Mazatec people have resisted and countered the cacique attacks against their territory and community.

On Friday, the First Collegiate Court for Criminal and Labor Matters in the State of Oaxaca issued a “partial” ruling on the case:

ABSOLVING Miguel of the charge of attempted homicide.

LEAVING OPEN HIS PROCESS for the charge of homicide.

In both cases, the arguments provided by the legal defense and the evidence were more than sufficient to not only understand Miguel’s innocence but also to demonstrate the absurdity, capriciousness, and arrogance of the accusations of the cacique Zepeda Lagunas family against members of the community assembly.

- To all those who have supported and shown their solidarity, we appreciate your presence and attention!
- To the legal defense who have put so much sweat, effort, and determination into this case, thank you so much!
- To those who have provided psychosocial support and helped us out of trouble, much love and gratitude!
- To our anarchist comrades who have shown solidarity and selflessness, contributing to many initiatives and ideas, you will always be our accomplices!
- To the anthropological team that produced a valuable expert report, here we continue!
- To the free, self-managed, pirate, and autonomous media projects that have contributed and helped bring this history to different places, we are forever grateful!
- To all those who have put their effort and heart into this—whether as organizations or individuals—our infinite gratitude. You are always in our thoughts and you can count on us!
- And of course, the Mazatec people and families who have received us, although we don’t speak their language, infinite reciprocity!

Thanks for being here and continuing, the struggle never ends.

Eloxochitlán and Miguel, always free!

May the mountains have our backs.

Yorch always present in our hearts and actions.

Support Group in Solidarity with Miguel Peralta

#MiguelPeraltaLibre #EloxLibre #Oaxaca #Autonomía #Mazatec #CommunityResistance

Call for Agitation for the Absolute Freedom of Miguel Peralta and the Community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón

https://itsgoingdown.org/call-for-agitation-for-the-absolute-freedom-of-miguel-peralta/

#MiguelPeraltaLibertad #EloxLibre#Oaxaca#México#SierraMazateca#FloresMagón

Call for Agitation for the Absolute Freedom of Miguel Peralta and the Community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón

https://itsgoingdown.org/call-for-agitation-for-the-absolute-freedom-of-miguel-peralta/

#MiguelPeraltaLibertad #EloxLibre#Oaxaca#México#SierraMazateca#FloresMagón

Miguel Peralta Betanzos is a community organizer and anarchist from the Mazatec community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón, Oaxaca. Together with his family and community members, for more than a decade, Miguel has faced criminalization, imprisonment, and persecution from the Mexican State for his struggle against cacique-political party power in defense of the autonomy and self-determination of his community.

Following a sociopolitical conflict that exploded into violence in Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón in December 2014, caused by a cacique attack on the community assembly, Miguel was detained in April 2015 on fabricated charges. In October 2018 he was sentenced to fifty years in prison.

Following an appeal and nearly a month on a hunger strike, in October 2019, Miguel was absolved of all charges and released. During the four years and six months Miguel was in prison, he was active in the struggle against prisons and for the freedom of the other political prisoners of Eloxochitlán.

More than two years after his release, on March 4, 2022, the Collegiate Court in Oaxaca revoked Miguel’s freedom, confirming again his original fifty-year sentence and issuing an arrest warrant against him. Since then, Miguel has been displaced from his community, living beneath political persecution.

On November 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation ruled on an appeal in Miguel’s case. Instead of ordering his absolute freedom and ending the political persecution against him, the Supreme Court returned the case to the Collegiate Court in Oaxaca ordering that court to rule again on the case. The new ruling is expected sometime in late 2025.

It is important to mention who is responsible for the repression in Eloxochitlán: the cacique Manuel Zepeda and his daughter, the state representative, Elisa Zepeda Lagunas. Occupying positions of power and mobilizing the repressive apparatus of the state, they have terrorized the community for more than ten years. We continue calling for solidarity with Miguel Peralta and the community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magon, Oaxaca.

#MiguelPeralta #EloxLibre#Oaxaca#Mazateca#México#PoliticalPersecution

Miguel Peralta Betanzos is a community organizer and anarchist from the Mazatec community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón, Oaxaca. Together with his family and community members, for more than a decade, Miguel has faced criminalization, imprisonment, and persecution from the Mexican State for his struggle against cacique-political party power in defense of the autonomy and self-determination of his community.

Following a sociopolitical conflict that exploded into violence in Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón in December 2014, caused by a cacique attack on the community assembly, Miguel was detained in April 2015 on fabricated charges. In October 2018 he was sentenced to fifty years in prison.

Following an appeal and nearly a month on a hunger strike, in October 2019, Miguel was absolved of all charges and released. During the four years and six months Miguel was in prison, he was active in the struggle against prisons and for the freedom of the other political prisoners of Eloxochitlán.

More than two years after his release, on March 4, 2022, the Collegiate Court in Oaxaca revoked Miguel’s freedom, confirming again his original fifty-year sentence and issuing an arrest warrant against him. Since then, Miguel has been displaced from his community, living beneath political persecution.

On November 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation ruled on an appeal in Miguel’s case. Instead of ordering his absolute freedom and ending the political persecution against him, the Supreme Court returned the case to the Collegiate Court in Oaxaca ordering that court to rule again on the case. The new ruling is expected sometime in late 2025.

It is important to mention who is responsible for the repression in Eloxochitlán: the cacique Manuel Zepeda and his daughter, the state representative, Elisa Zepeda Lagunas. Occupying positions of power and mobilizing the repressive apparatus of the state, they have terrorized the community for more than ten years. We continue calling for solidarity with Miguel Peralta and the community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magon, Oaxaca.

#MiguelPeralta #EloxLibre#Oaxaca#Mazateca#México#PoliticalPersecution