Mexico: Indigenous woman who killed her husband in defense of herself and her children is freed

Mexican Marisela Lopez Bautistalocal zotzilgot his freedom this Thursday after the southern state judiciary Chiapas concluded that her husband’s death, for which she was accused, had resulted from an act of self-defence.

An indigenous woman was accused primarily of killing her husband, who tried to kill her along with his two children on November 22, 2019, for which he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

“The Mixed Chamber of San Cristobal de Las Casas of the Judiciary of the State of Chiapas, in strict accordance with the law and in accordance with the provisions of the protocol to judge in a gender sensitive manner issued Supreme Court of the Nation (SJCN)ordered the immediate release of Marisela “N,” the Mexican government agency said in a statement.

In its decision, the San Cristobal Mixed Chamber gave priority “protection of their integrity, protection of their minor children and the state of pregnancy at the time of the events.

The Chiapas judiciary also indicated that the case was analyzed in strict accordance with the law, in addition to international treaties on the subject, “creating a precedent by conducting legal reasoning with human rights approach”.

The state judiciary said the opinion is a model for the work being advanced on gender issues by the Judicial Council within the High Court, which seeks to weigh women, girls, boys and adolescents. “in the interest”.

He left a hand to his children

At 4:00 pm, Marisela was seen crossing the main door of the State Center for the Social Reintegration of Convicts (Cerss) No. 5, carrying her little son named Alejandro in her arms. 3 yearsand your release letter.

100 meters behind her, two guards were carrying her belongings, several bags of her clothes, toys and her Framea working tool with which he learned to make backpacks (bags).

A Tzotzil indigenous woman, still alarmed, reported that after 3:00 pm she was told to prepare to leave because she had secured her freedom.

“The first thing I thought of was see my kids and work. When I got to prison, I didn’t know how to work except in the field, but inside I learned how to weave wallets and backpacks, they also teach us to write and read, but I didn’t understand this, ”said Lopez.

The indigenous woman looked serene as she spoke to her son, who was already at large, while they waited for a lawyer to defend her case. In addition, he assured that he would spend the night in shelter for vulnerable women.

For her part, Marcela Fernandez, an advocate for indigenous women, affirmed Marisela López’s full freedom and pointed out that, as in this case, there are many women in Chiapas who are being prosecuted for defending their lives.

He added that Marisela “came out for legal support, for support for women in groups and for support for the media.”

Mexico in crisis sexist violence at the national level, according to statistics from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SNSP), more than 10 women are killed daily. EFE