SMA PROGRAMS: INDIGENOUS RIGHTS:
The Isidrio Baldenegro Story

Isidro Baldenegro and Domingo Rivas Carrillo, Tarahumara forest defenders from Coloradas de la Virgen, were freed from the state prison in Chihuahua on Wednesday, June 23 by the Third District Judge in Chihuahua, Jose Abriega Farias.

Isidro and Domingo spent 15 months in prison on falsified charges of illegal arms possession. They had no chance for parole as they faced a mandatory 12 year sentence. Under intense national and international pressure to release these prisoners of conscience, the Federal Attorney General (PGR) finally dropped the falsified charges.

Their real crime was to challenge a powerful drug boss who has terrorized their community for three decades.The Tarahumara face a treacherous future as their community continues to struggle for their lands and forests. Their real crime was to challenge the land fraud and illegal logging operation of a powerful drug boss who has terrorized their community with impunity for three decades.

They were arrested in March, 2003 shortly after their community had successfully blockaded a logging operation controlled by Artemio Fontes, a notoriously violent narco-cacique - leader of a regional drug cartel.

Fontes has been accused of creating a fraudulent ejido registry and falsifying elections and ejido records to control the logging of one of the last remnants of old growth pine in the Sierra Madre. Fontes has reportedly conspired to assassinate numerous Tarahumara who opposed logging, including Isidro’s father, Julio Baldenegro in 1986. Fontes allegedly bribed the former state police commander to arrest Isidro.

A Difficult Struggle Still Lies Ahead

Isidro and Domingo are relieved to be out of prison, but face an uncertain future. They are determined to continue to help their community fight for their lands and justice. However, Isidro, as one of the principal community leaders, has reason to fear what lies ahead as they continue their struggle for their lands.

He stated, “I think that in any moment they might take revenge for everything we have publicized. Here in Chihuahua I feel fine, but they may look for an opportunity in another place.”