Newsletter from Santa Teresita Complex
Events at the national level
Oaxaca State
Oaxaca has become the visible and material expression of the criminalization of social protest. It is undeniable that anyone who has been molested, aggrieved, victimized by the violation of any of his fundamental rights, is immediately subject to a series of direct and indirect grievances for demanding respect for his rights and personal dignity.
Peasants call for the production of national food: our agriculture is urgent, with new international policies.
Peasant and indigenous organizations in the country highlighted the negative impact on large farmers and day laborers if they manage to implement barriers to Mexican exports through tariffs, as planned by the administration of Donald Trump. They asked the Government to produce more domestic food to prevent Mexico from feeding on imported and transgenic products, as it is today. Only 40 percent of what is consumed is produced in the country!
Unstoppable indebtedness with president Peña Nieto; Already reaches 9.66 trillion pesos.
Since it began and to date, the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto has increased the total debt of the public sector by 3.2 trillion pesos, to reach 9 trillion 66 billion 500 million. The National Health budget was cut by 7%! This affects Santa Teresita Complex.
People deported from the United States
In the city of Chihuahua, Chih., At traffic lights it is common to find people deported from the United States asking for help. The new anti-immigration policy has sharpened this crisis. Inspired by the work of Las Patronas, in the south of our country by the priest Alejandro Solalinde, Jesuits and Vincentians, a group of Chihuahua created the association One of Seven Migrating and opened the Migrant House to serve the undocumented immigrants who pass through this capital, especially to the returnees who face risks when they cross the Sierra Tarahumara towards Sonora or Sinaloa.
News of the Mission
The indigenous people of Repechique continue to resist the invasion.
The Santa Teresita Complex has been in solidarity with the indigenous community of Repechique, Bocoyna, which since February 28th, 2017 has initiated an indefinite peaceful blockade of access to its forests. The defense of its territory began in 1940. This community, once again demands respect for its ancestral territory and the natural resources in it. It demands a stop to the legal and illegal logging of trees in its territory by private loggers in the town of Creel and San Juanito !, who hold permits granted by SEMARNAT (Government agency to protect forests) to cut timber within its territory. What they are asking for is: 1) Suspension of forest harvesting permits. 2) Formal delivery of trees felled to the community, 3) Conduct a free, prior and informed consultation before granting any permit or concession affecting their environment, 4) Unrestricted respect for self-determination. The Santa Teresita Complex has added to their demands of a prompt response with them.
National Indigenous Congress
Members of the Santa Teresita Complex recently participated in a meeting that analyzed in depth the different faces of the capitalist war against our peoples, agreeing that it is urgent to stop the dispossession, the destruction, the contempt, the forgetfulness and the Death in which they have subjected our peoples. International interests seek to end individual and collective resistance so that our country and its resources are available to the capitalists who govern this country and this world.
Completes construction of Casa Michigan and will buy an ambulance
In this semester we are finishing "Casa Michigan" that will be the new shelter for the relatives of our patients. This house was made possible thanks to the support received at the Benefit Dinner of October 2015. We have started the process for the purchase of a new ambulance with the support received at the Benefit Dinner 2016. Our thanks for the great support received!
Food for Community work Program
The Jesuits of the mission have addressed important issues related to the Food for community work Program that has established the Santa Teresita Complex. It is important to follow up the community work that the communities have committed to carry out. During the first half of 2017 100 tons of maize and 20 tons of beans will be distributed. We have the support of people who grow potatoes in the state of Sinaloa. During this year we will distribute 120 tons of potato among the interns of nuns and communities under the Food for community work program.
Accreditation Process
The Clinic continues in the accreditation process before the Ministry of Health. The term ends on July 20 of this year. We will receive the visit of accreditation personnel from Mexico City. Several courses have been given to train staff and new programs have been implemented: Psychology, reproductive health, early stimulation, vaccination and cytology. In the previous evaluations we obtained a good score, so we hope to be able to accredit our Medical Unit. Thanks to the support of the 2016 Oregon Committee Benefit Dinner we have been able to make the remodeling and expenses of this process.
May God bless all of you who are part of our mission work!
Miguel Quintanilla S.J.
Director General