We, who are members of different organizations and are now ex-prisoners 
formerly held in different prisons of the state of Chiapas, are writing 
to tell you a few things:

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, April 1, 2008
To the news media
To the national and international civil society
To the social organizations
To the adherents of the Other Campaign

1. We are political prisoners and prisoners of conscience because the 
government with its unjust laws has fabricated different charges against 
us. They’ve done this because we’re people who have organized to 
struggle for the just needs of our peoples. That’s why we’ve 
participated and that’s why we’ve demonstrated for what we believe in 
different ways. They’ve fabricated charges against us so we won’t form 
movements and so they can find a way to put us in jail.
2. We’re happy to be out, but we’re concerned about those who haven’t 
been released. We’re worried about their health because they haven’t 
eaten in many days. In the case of CERESO 14, El Amate, the 6 comrades 
who are still on strike haven’t eaten in 37 days, and 2 people who have 
diabetes type 1 and 2 are still fasting. In the case of CERESO # 5, two 
comrades have been on strike for 29 days and five are praying and 
fasting. We hold the state and federal government responsible for 
whatever happens to them. We want to remind them that our hunger strike 
is not a game and that we’re willing to keep on struggling.

3. For us, prison is hell, a place where we experience much pain, much 
anguish, and many illnesses. But it’s not only those of us inside who 
suffer. It’s also our family and friends because prison destroys homes, 
separates families, and causes the loss of children. And all this pain 
and suffering is even greater because its unjust that we’re locked up.
4. We demand that the government free all our comrades that are still on 
hunger strike. As soon as we hit the street we agreed to join the 
prisoners’ family members’ camp so that we can keep on speaking out 
together until all the prisoners unjustly held are free.
5. We want the governments to change the laws because they’ve used the 
ones that exist to fabricate charges and keep us in jail, depriving us 
of the freedom that is rightly ours. But we’re not the only ones who are 
suffering. There are many other men and women in the same conditions 
because they’re being unjustly imprisoned.
6. We want to thank all of you who are spreading our words to different 
peoples because your efforts are bearing fruit. You’re sending our words 
to places where we can’t go.
7. We want to tell all of the men, women, girls, boys, and elders in 
different towns and organizations who’ve spoken out for us that we thank 
you with all our hearts. We hope you will stay with us and keep 
struggling for the freedom of the hunger strikers and those who are 
praying and fasting. All of us together in our movements and 
organizations will win their freedom.
Yours,
from the family encampment for prisoners’ freedom,
the ex-prisoners of the three CERESOS, 5, 14 and17