NARANJOS, VER.- Anti-riot teams from the Civil Force and the State Police of the Ministry of Public Security forcibly evicted residents of the municipality of Naranjos who were demanding water. On the afternoon of this Tuesday, September 19, the police retreated from the protesters, who were blocking the Tuxpan – Tampico highway, in the north of the state of Veracruz.
The closure of the roads that link this region of northern Veracruz with southern Tamaulipas led to significant losses for transporters, who use the highway to move goods to and from the port of Tuxpan.
The demonstrations began last Monday, September 18, in the morning, around 9:00 a.m. when the residents stood at the entrance to La Redonda, in front of the old maquiladora, at the site known as Kilometer 24, at the height of Cervantes and in Rancho Nuevo, where they spent the night.
This morning with tarps in hand, they escalated their protest, demanding the presence of Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez or some high-level official, however, they were only attended by Mayor José Luis Banda Cruz, the Regional Policy delegate, Auber Rueda Hernández and the liaison of the Water Commission of the State of Veracruz (CAEV) for the northern zone, Julio Reyes Vázquez.
Unable to reach agreements, the uniformed officers intervened and using force dissuaded the demonstration.
Pushing, insults, kicking, hitting, tear gas and electric shocks were allegedly used during the eviction by the SSP, according to the residents’ complaints. They also noted that warning shots were fired with firearms.
The residents of Naranjos pointed out that the lack of water is recurrent in this region because it is necessary to build dams and dikes that allow the capture of the liquid from the “Tancochín” river, so that they can guarantee the supply of the liquid for their homes, since they have been suffering for months from the lack of water supply and facing the high temperatures that are recorded in this region.
The complainants pointed out that it is urgent that a dam be built, as well as the catchment vessels expanded, since this system also supplies some towns in the neighboring municipality of Chinampa de Gorostiza.
Due to the road closure, hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for many hours, forcing travelers to have to walk for kilometers in search of a means of transportation to reach their destinations.
After the eviction, the authorities remain on standby in the vicinity of the Tuxpan – Tampico highway, at the height of the Tuxpan – Ozuluama section, at the height of this municipality, since it was rumored that the residents were reorganizing to return to take over the toll booth. The complainants accused government repression and lack of support for their demands.
Source: La Silla Rota
