Statement from Karla Guadalupe Meza, partner of Marcelino Ruíz Gómez, hunger striking prisoner in struggle in Chiapas. The statement speaks to the deteriorating health of Marcelino, and the negative effects of the prison on people and families more generally. The original in Spanish was published by the Working Group No Estamos Todxs and can be found here.
6/1/19
Before anything else, I want to thank all of you who share this message.
Seventy-nine days have passed since the hunger strike for the freedom of our compañeros began. Up to this moment, there has been no clear response to our demands. It is notable that the government is not interested in taking account of our cause, even knowing the state of health in which our compañeros find themselves. The government does not care about their lives. Throughout the hunger strike, there have already been serious effects on two compañeros. One of them is my husband, Marcelino Ruíz Gómez, imprisoned in CERSS No. 10 of Comitán, Chiapas.
About a week ago, Marcelino began to feel pain in his abdomen on the right side beneath his ribs. Black spots began to appear on his face. He asked to go to the emergency room. In the last couple days the pain has increased. He was taken to a doctor to do an ultrasound and the only thing they told him is that all is well. It is not normal that they say all is well. This bothers us as family members. It is clear that he is not fine as they say. They didn’t give him any medicine to take away the pain. It is terrible to see that they don’t take this matter as seriously as they should. They let the days go by without worrying in the least bit for our prisoners. How much more time will pass like this….
Today, Just 1st, I must admit to feeling an overwhelming sadness due to the difficult situation that we are living through. Today is Marcelino’s birthday. It should be a motive for joy, but unfortunately it is not. The prison makes it so it can’t be as such. It’s another year of his isolation from us. Although we go visit him, the hours are short. We leave with knots in our throats. A large part of our hearts are left there on the inside.
These are important dates that should leave marks on our lives.
The prison is not only painful to those who inhabit it. It is also painful to family members because every day we get up with the hope that it will be the day that our prisoners are freed. We ask for something, for justice, for the freedom of our compañeros on hunger strike.
We demand true justice.
No more humiliation.
Until we are all free!
Karla Guadalupe Meza
