Our sisters from Consorcio Oaxaca denounce that on the morning of 15 June, a black bag was found at their door containing pieces of meat, seemingly an animal’s head, with the message: “SUCK ON THIS, BITCH. NEXT TIME IT’S YOURS. ATTEN., CJNG” [“VAJALE DE HUEVOS PERRA LA PRÓXIMA ES LA TUYA ATTE. CJNG.”]

This is clearly an explicit death threat related to this feminist organization, which has a renowned track record of 17 years promoting women’s rights and protection for Women Human Rights Defenders in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the Mesoamerican region.

In the past weeks, Consorcio Oaxaca has been accompanying the campaign “Until Justice Arrives”, demanding justice and fighting against impunity in the feminicide of María del Sol Cruz Jarquín, a young photojournalist who was assassinated on 2 June 2018. The campaign was launched by Soledad Jarquín Edgar – a feminist journalist and María del Sol’s mother – during which there have been several incidents of intimidation against her. A billboard demanding justice that was placed in a relevant location in the Oaxaca City went missing. Today’s death threat adds to these attacks.

We at IM-Defensoras stand in solidarity with sisters from Consorcio Oaxaca, and we hold them close. Consorcio Oaxaca is part of our Steering Group and we express our concern, our repudiation, and our condemnation of the death threat that they received today.

We demand guarantees of protection from the Mexican State at all levels, for all who are part of Consorcio Oaxaca and for Soledad Jarquín, and we especially hold the Government of the State of Oaxaca responsible for her integrity.

We call on the international community to support our sisters at Consorcio Oaxaca, standing in solidarity with them, publicly recognizing their essential contributions to women’s human rights and to protection of WHRDs, and to remaining attentive and vigilant of the situation.