Workers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) protested at the Veracruz state offices, demanding the delivery of support, tools, and supplies necessary for their work caring for and maintaining archaeological sites in the state.
Gabriel del Valle Ferral, General Secretary of the National Democratic Union of Workers of the Ministry of Culture in Veracruz, stated that various problems have been ongoing for several years, which they are no longer willing to tolerate, and therefore demand a prompt solution.
He commented that one of the main problems is that INAH refuses to provide tools and machinery for cleaning and maintaining their workplaces, something he asserted does not happen in other parts of the country.
He said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal agency has stopped fulfilling its obligations under Chapter 5000, which greatly affects their work. Furthermore, they are forced to use part of their salaries to purchase supplies such as gasoline, oil, and lubricants for their tools.
“It is no longer possible to continue working at this government institution because they are limiting the provision of equipment and tools needed to work on and maintain our archaeological sites,” the union representative stated.
He added that more than 33 positions for custodians of archaeological zones are currently vacant in Veracruz, while in other states of the country, new positions have even been created without any consideration given to Veracruz.
He explained that large archaeological zones in the state, such as Tajín and Cempoala, are guarded and maintained by a small group of people, as the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) refuses to fill the vacant positions.
“In Veracruz, we are not provided with the same resources as other archaeological zones. There is no budget for Veracruz. We have had more than 33 vacant positions for over 14 years that have not been filled,” he added.
Therefore, he asserted that if they do not receive answers before March 18, they will take stronger measures to force the authorities to respond to their demands and resolve the long-standing problem.
He affirmed that despite the proximity of the holidays and the “Cumbre Tajín” festival, unionized workers could stage a work stoppage throughout the state and even block visitor access to archaeological sites.
He called on Governor Rocío Nahle to intervene with federal authorities to establish a dialogue with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and reach a swift agreement.
“We have not received a favorable response to these demands. This institution has been given until March 18. If our demands are not met, we will begin taking stronger, more decisive actions… we could even resort to closing archaeological sites,” he stated.
Source: jornada
