Mexican President Sheinbaum Grants Legal Status to 68 Indigenous Peoples

Claudia Sheinbaum (C) and representatives of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, Dec. 10, 2024. X/ @c_viralcancun

December 10, 2024 Hour: 2:30 pm

This Latin American country is home to approximately 23 million people who identify themselves as Indigenous.

On Tuesday, President Claudia Sheinbaum signed a decree recognizing the rights of Mexico’s Indigenous peoples and establishing the Presidential Commission for Justice Plans for Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples.

During the morning press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum emphasized the significance of the reform to Article 2 of the Constitution, which was approved in September under the presidency of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) and declares Mexico a “multiethnic nation.”

“Today, we will publish the reform in multiple languages, celebrating this International Human Rights Day,” she stated, referencing a law that recognizes 68 Indigenous groups as subjects of public law, granting them legal personality and their own patrimony.

Additionally, the reform to Article 2 mandates consultations on projects that may impact the communities of the Indigenous peoples.

Hoy cumpliría 138, uno de los artistas más importantes que México ha dado al mundo, y por eso vale la pena recordar, que Diego Rivera no solo era un pintor prolífico, que logró retratar la belleza de nuestros pueblos indígenas, la lucha de la clase trabajadora o el paso de la… pic.twitter.com/bJSldorh1H
— Ernestina Godoy Ramos (@ErnestinaGodoy_) December 8, 2024

The text reads, “Today Diego Rivera, one of the most important artists that Mexico has given to the world, would have turned 138 years old. That is why it is worth remembering that he was not only a prolific painter, who managed to portray the beauty of our indigenous people, the struggle of the working class or the passage of the Mexican revolution. He was also an enthusiast of education for all. He said that art also belonged to the workers and that it was worth fighting for social justice. We are fortunate that in our city we can find a large part of his works, where he captured Mexico over time and with an unmatched feeling.”

The constitutional reform was translated into over 50 indigenous languages thanks to the joint work of the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), the University of Indigenous Languages of Mexico (ULIM) and the National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI), the outlet Quadratin reported.

Currently, Mexico is home to approximately 23 million people who identify themselves as Indigenous. Around 7.4 million of them speak a native language, with Nahuatl, Maya, Tzeltal, and Zapotec being the most common.

The creation of the Presidential Commission aims to oversee justice plans for Indigenous peoples initiated during AMLO’s administration. To date, Mexico has implemented 17 justice plans benefiting 26 Indigenous peoples across 12 states, reaching approximately 420,000 people with a total investment of US$1.4 billion.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Mexico: President Claudia Sheinbaum assured that the necessary precautions are being taken in case of a new wave of deportations from the United States. pic.twitter.com/j5N7WQPVz3
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 6, 2024