By unanimous vote of 483 in favor, the Chamber of Deputies approved the reform in general and in particular to recognize in the Constitution the legal personality and heritage of indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples and communities, an initiative of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Although the reform received the support of all parliamentary groups, The opposition warned of the lack of a budget to implement the new rights of indigenous communities and even the PAN deputy Antonio Borboa Becerra, from the PAN, accused that they are being deceived, since they do not address issues such as the insecurity that plagues states like Chiapas.
“Are indigenous peoples really not more concerned about what is happening in Chiapas? Wouldn’t they be more concerned about all those brothers who have to migrate to Guatemala due to the lack of security and insecurity? Could it be that hugs instead of bullets didn’t work in the country? “Could it be that they still owe a lot to those people who say they love them so much and support them so much? (…) What we do have to be aware of is that we are not getting to the bottom of the matter, we are only deceiving the indigenous peoples,” he questioned.
With the approved reform, the Indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples and communities will cease to be entities of public interest and they will become holders of rights and legal obligations. The change gives them the right to be consulted when intended implement some reform or measure administrative that may affect your life or environment.
During the discussion, Deputy Irma Juan Carlos, from Morena and who spoke on behalf of the indigenous peoples, said that the approval mark a historic momentbecause he said that After centuries of exclusion, justice is being done.
“Today is a historic day that will remain etched in our minds and hearts as the moment when, After more than five centuries of invasion, dispossession, exclusion, racism and discrimination, our rights will finally be recognized. inalienable in the Constitutionreaffirming that the greatness of Mexico lies in the great diversity of peoples and cultures that make it up,” he said.
What benefits does the reform bring to indigenous peoples?
The legislator stressed that The reform raises the right to be consulted to constitutional status on the legislative or administrative measures that are intended to be adopted when these may cause significant effects or impacts on the life and environment of the people, as well as the ability to lodge appeals for violation of this right.
Deputy Maria de Fatima Garcia Leon, from the Citizen Movement, said that the The reform aims to settle a historic debt with indigenous peoples and communitiesas he recalled that the indigenous population lives in poverty at 77 percent and lives in extreme poverty at 35 percent, according to the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Policy and Development (Coneval). He also assured that A general law on the matter has yet to be issued and harmonize the regulatory framework of the laws that correspond at the federal level and promote legal changes in the states.
The reform establishes that when the administrative measure that is intended to be adopted benefits an individual, the cost of the consultation must be covered by this; and that the particular that you get profit of the administrative measure must grant to indigenous peoples and communities fair and equitable benefitunder the terms established by applicable laws.
It also determines that It is the State’s obligation to guarantee the conditions for indigenous peoples and communities can acquire, operatepromote, develop and manage their mediatelecommunications and new information technologies.
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The reform was sent to the Senate of the Republic for discussion and, if necessary, approval.