DECEMBER 8, 2020, COLOTLÁN, JALISCO.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
The Wixárika Regional Council for the Defense of Wirikuta made up of the Traditional, Civil and Agricultural Authorities of the Communities of Bancos de Calitique and Bancos de San Hipólito, municipality of Mezquital, Durango, Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán municipality of Mezquitic, and San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and Tuxpan of the municipalities of Mezquitic and Bolaños, Jalisco.
WE DECLARE
We have learned through social media that Angélica Valadez, belonging to the Eger Valadez family, has presented herself to various national and international entities, including the organization Decriminalize Nature in the United States, as an ‘ambassador’ of the Wixárika people.
The Authorities of the communities making up the Wixárika Regional Council for the Defense of Wirikuta present here, as well as the Community Assemblies that we represent, affirm that at no time have we authorized or commissioned that said person or any member of her family assume such a role, nor have we established any alliance with the aforementioned organization.
We therefore demand the cessation of the use of our names and the usurpation of the representation purportedly on behalf of our Community Assemblies for the particular interests that she represents, emphasizing that, for someone to be our representative, authorization is required from each of the Assemblies of the communities making up the Wixárika Regional Council, which number approximately 8,000 community members in total.
We gratefully request the dissemination of this statement.
ATTENTIVELY
TRADITIONAL AND AGRICULTURAL AUTHORITIES OF THE WIXÁRIKA PEOPLE
WIXÁRIKA REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENSE OF WIRIKUTA
WIRIKUTA IS NOT FOR SALE, IT IS LOVED AND DEFENDED!
This piece was originally published in Spanish here.
