On 4 April 2025, Miryam Vargas Teutle, a journalist and women’s rights defender, faced a wave of intimidation from local authorities in San Andrés Cholula, Puebla. This harassment appears to stem from her activism and reporting, particularly related to a community complaint linked to land dispossession, reportedly involving legal advisors to these authorities.
Miryam, hailing from the Choluteca region and a member of the Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra y el Agua (FPDTA-MPT), has dedicated over a decade to protecting her community against damaging energy mega-projects like Proyecto Integral Morelos. She is also the voice of Cholollan Radio, where she champions the rights of her people.
Recent events escalated between 1-4 April, when social media users circulated photos intended to undermine Miryam’s credibility and her role as an environmental defender. Alongside these attacks, she received threatening WhatsApp messages and phone calls from municipal staff, challenging her journalistic integrity and demanding payment for Cholollan Radio’s airtime.
The local land dispute concerns the Bajadas del Periférico road construction project, which threatens to impact ancestral Tlaxcalancingo lands and water access. A legal ruling has mandated that the community must consent before any project that affects them proceeds, ensuring they receive fair compensation.
These threats against Miryam add to a troubling trend of violence and intimidation faced by members of the FPDTA-MPT. Front Line Defenders has documented previous instances, including a protest confrontation with Puebla state police in June 2021.
The organisation urges Mexican authorities to condemn these threats, conduct thorough investigations into the intimidation faced by Miryam, and ensure that all human rights defenders can operate freely without fear of reprisals.
On 4 April 2025, Miryam Vargas Teutle was targeted with intimidation by local authorities in Puebla for her activism and journalism. This followed a citizens’ complaint involving land dispossession threatening the Tlaxcalancingo people. Reports of threats and a smear campaign against her reflect a concerning pattern of violence against human rights defenders in Mexico, prompting calls from Front Line Defenders for accountability and action from the government.
The alarming intimidation faced by Miryam Vargas Teutle underscores the ongoing risks for human rights defenders in Mexico, particularly those advocating for indigenous land rights and environmental protections. Such actions not only threaten Miryam but also hinder free expression and justice in the community. It is imperative for authorities to act decisively to protect human rights defenders and uphold their freedoms.
Original Source: www.frontlinedefenders.org
