Below is a short Video of Brenda Figueroa, this video was banned from our One Billion Rising event last Friday on the Malecon in Guaymas. I would also like to thank all those from San Carlos and Guaymas who showed support!
On February 14th, Valentines day, my wife Ines and I along with the City of Guaymas sponsored a global event called One Billion Rising. I had learned of the event just ten days early while watching a Democracynow.org report. One Billion Rising resonated with me for several reasons. The event is based on dancing, Ines is a dancer, and strives to raise awareness to the appalling statistics regarding violence against women, world wide. There has been plenty of violence in the Guaymas area lately and one case in particular related to the murder of a women while she was in the custody of the state police (PEI) in Guaymas. Maria Jesus Coronado was found dead in her cell on the 5th of October. She had been in custody 5 days. Her death was ruled a suicide by the ministerio publico and then that ruling was subsequently upheld by the state human rights commission out of Hermosillo. There was only one little problemita, one of Maria’s family members-the very brave women in the video above- refused to sign off on that her sisters death was a suicide and protested. After a second autopsy, performed by the federal human rights commission from Mexico City, the death of Maria Jesus was ruled a murder.
So with all of that information at my hands I naively believed that Guaymas would actually support victims of violence along with their family members. I didn’t think that that city of Guaymas would mind if a 2 minute video clip of Brenda Figueroa, the sister of a murdered women, simply asking for support and thanking the city of Guaymas for having this event would be terribly controversial. So controversial in fact that the city completely shanghaied the event from Ines and myself. I could not show the video clip on stage. We had planned to use the video clip to motivate other people in the crowd to go on one of the cameras I brought to the event and denounce violence or if anyone wanted to relate an incidence of violence against themselves then they certainly could. I mean here is a women whose sister was the victim of the ultimate type of violence that can be committed against someone who had the guts to go on camera and speak.
There is no one to blame but myself for this debacle. I had been warned by several people that the moment you bring in the city of Guaymas to sponsor any event that is the exact moment you will loose any kind of real freedom of expression. Boy were my friends right on that one. After dealing with the city officials I have to say that the city of Guaymas is far more concerned about it’s image and how it looks than actually helping people in their daily lives.
So I say to myself never again will I sponsor an event with the city of Guaymas, and to the city of Guaymas I say shame on you.
¡Qué Vergüenza!
I have to admit that I have not as of yet discussed this matter with the mayor of Guaymas Otto Claussen. I also have to admit that I met the mayor of Guaymas around 20 years ago when he was a college kid. I was Ottos dive instructor and I was impressed by this young man. I also worked with Otto after he became the head of PROFEPA. At the time PROFEPA was in charge of protecting Dorado and the group that we were working with were able to successfully lobby Otto to actually enforce the law governing Dorado. Otto did a great job back then. Since Otto became the mayor of Guaymas I have only briefly spoken to him on one occasion. It was a meeting on what the state government has been doing over at the Estero El Soldado. I now find that I must go speak with him and speak with him I shall try. If I should get the chance to interview him I will certainly publish what he has to say on Maria Jesus Coronado and other anomaly’s in his current administration.
Hey Vinny, your courage is astounding and with all due respect, how long have you lived here??? Total corruption is the law of the land and just why you have not been founf dead somewhere and ruled a suicide dumbfounds me. There is only one rule in Guaymas, and all of Mexico for that matter, who, what, how do I line MY pockets at other peoples expense. Crooks, theives, debauchery rules the day, everywhere you turn. I didn’t write this book, but I certainly know how to read it….. Best Of Wishes to you and Inez, carry on the struggle…..
It is hard to believe that every single politician in this country just wants to line his or her respective pockets. The reason I had hoped Guaymas might be different under this mayor is that I have known him for well over 20 years. When he worked for Profepa he was very professional and extremely honest. Now I almost dread having to go talk to him but I do have to go chat with him now. Saludos