Los Pozos Tláhuac eviction threats protest, Digi Mart USA News (Tláhuac, Mexico City): Residents of the Los Pozos property, located in the Tláhuac borough, held a demonstration to denounce eviction threats and the placement of closure seals on their homes. The actions have left hundreds of families who have lived in the area for more than two decades in uncertainty.
The march departed from the Torre del Caballito, moved along Paseo de la Reforma and continued to the Government of Mexico City in the Zócalo, where demonstrators were received by officials. After reviewing the case, the officials scheduled a meeting for November 13.
The Antorchistas confirmed they will attend the meeting to again present their situation and demand a response to their demands.
During the march, Oliver Saavedra Ángeles, leader of the Antorchista Movement in Tláhuac, said authorities intend to hold residents responsible for living on land that is now considered of environmental value, even though authorities had known about the growth of the settlement for years. He questioned why, after more than 20 years, authorities are now arriving at the homes to demand construction permits and land-use zoning certificates, which he said residents do not have.
“Why now, and why not more than 20 years ago?” Saavedra Ángeles asked. He argued that the government should take responsibility and seek alternatives for families who bought land at affordable prices due to a lack of economical housing options in Mexico City.
Saavedra Ángeles explained that residents have received notices of ordinary inspection requesting documentation proving construction permits and land use. He said these measures threaten people who only sought a place to build a home for their families.
He also questioned why residents are threatened with eviction while other areas of the city authorize land-use changes and real estate construction. He proposed that environmental protection and families’ right to housing be addressed jointly through policies that guarantee both.
Ramón Arias, a resident of Los Pozos Cooperativa, described the situation families face amid constant harassment from various agencies. He explained that some neighbors hold property titles endorsed by a notary public and acquired their land through transactions made in good faith, yet they face difficulties due to the lack of land-use certificates.
Arias alleged that personnel from environmental agencies recently placed closure seals and warned residents they could not continue building their homes. He also said there is surveillance and harassment at the property entrances, which, according to his testimony, has hindered even the entry of health personnel and other institutions attempting to provide services or gather information.
The resident added that families live in fear of losing their homes and questioned why authorities deploy operations to prevent them from continuing construction, while police response is slow when they request help for security problems.
At the conclusion of the march, the Antorchistas said they will attend the meeting scheduled for November 13, but warned they will not accept any attempt to evict the families, many of whom lack the financial resources to acquire another home and would lose the patrimony they have built over years.
Residents and the Antorchista Movement reiterated their demand that the right to decent housing, recognized in Article 4 of the Mexican Constitution, be respected, and called on authorities to address their situation, grant land-use authorization and regularize the area.
