🗓 Thursday November 12, 2026
🕖6:00 p.m.
📍 Berlin Global Village, Patricia-Lumumba-Galerie, Am Sudhaus 2
💬The event will take place in Spanish and will be simultaneously interpreted into German.

The highland region of the Mexican state of Guerrero is one of the economically poorest regions in Mexico.Guerrero is a state in which the rights - especially those of the often marginalized indigenous and Afro-Mexican populations - are not simply guaranteed, but must be vehemently demanded and defended.At the same time, this very commitment there is extremely dangerous.The military presence has been high since the Mexican government's "dirty war" (1968-1982) against opposition groups and was further massively expanded with the so-called "war on drug trafficking" from 2006.Chronic state neglect, corrupt political elites and the geography from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean make the region strategically important for organized crime and illicit economies.

In this difficult constellation, human rights defenders are repeatedly targeted by both state and criminal actors.The fact that these actors cannot always be clearly distinguished from each other and how dangerous their interaction is was shown in a particularly tragic way by the violent disappearance of the 43 teacher training students from Ayotzinapa in 2014. A case characterized by cover-ups, lies and impunity and in which the relatives are still fighting for justice and truth 12 years later.

Our guests Abel Barrera and Saulo Loya from the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center report how the people of the Guerrero highlands stand up for their rights despite all odds in this adverse context between barracks and cartels.They highlight challenges that are emblematic of the situation throughout the country and address the following questions in the discussion:

• What are the challenges and successes in the fight for the defense of human rights?
• What specific risks are faced by those defending human rights, indigenous rights and their territory?
• How does the presence and territorial control of organized crime affect the life of the communities in the Montaña de Guerrero and how does it endanger the activism and lives of the defenders?
• How is the Mexican government responding to the human rights crisis in the state and what can be done to better protect human rights defenders?
• How can we from Germany support the fight for human rights in Guerrero in solidarity?

About the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center: Founded in 1993 in Tlapa de Comonfort (Guerrero), the Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña Tlachinollan has established itself as one of the most important organizations for the defense of human rights in Mexico.For over three decades, Tlachinollan has accompanied indigenous peoples, Afro-Mexican and mestizo communities in defending their rights and building projects for a dignified life.The Center has followed emblematic cases of human rights violations – including the case of Inés and Valentina – all the way to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.It also continues to provide legal support and support to the families of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students.His work has received many international awards, including the 2011 Amnesty International Human Rights Prize for its director Abel Barrera.

An event organized by the German Human Rights Coordination Mexico and Centro Tlachinollan.