Mexican Legislators Approve Reform in Favor of Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Peoples
Mexican Indigenous women, 2024. X/ @ElCiudadano_Mx
September 19, 2024 Hour: 8:32 am
President AMLO’s reforms imply the constitutional recognition of legal pluralism and cultural diversity.
On Wednesday, the Mexican Lower Chamber approved a constitutional reform aimed at recognizing the rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
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Presented by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), the constitutional reform allows the recognition of Indigenous peoples as legal entities. In a country where 23 out of 126 million inhabitants identify as Indigenous, this is a significant step forward.
The reform will now be sent to the Senate, where its approval is expected to acknowledge the multiethnic and multicultural composition of Mexico and recognize Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples as legal entities with their own juridical personality and assets.
The reform elevates to constitutional status the right of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities to free, prior, informed, and culturally appropriate consultation on legislative and administrative measures that may affect or impact their lives or natural environment.
It also stipulates that Indigenous people have the right to be assisted and advised by translators, advocates, and experts specialized in Indigenous rights. This assumes the constitutional recognition of legal pluralism and cultural and linguistic diversity.
“With the approval of this constitutional reform, we are taking a fundamental step toward recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples, and especially Indigenous women, who have been doubly ignored and marginalized for a long time,” said Claudia Salas, a legislator from the opposition party Citizen Movement.
Meanwhile, Asael Hernandez, an opposition legislator from the National Action Party (PAN), argued that the reform “does not include resources, and a law or public policy without resources is simple demagogy… we request that this fundamental point be considered for its proper and effective implementation.”
The package of constitutional reforms presented in February by President AMLO also includes the Judicial Branch reform, which was approved last week, and the National Guard reform, which is set to be discussed in the Mexican Congress.
teleSUR/ JF Source: La Jornada
