Santa María Chiconautla Prison
Ecatepec, state of México
March 25, 2008

To The Voice of Amate.
To all political prisoners in the Rehabilitation Center (CERESO) at 
Cintalapa
de Figueroa, Chiapas.

Comrades of The Voice of Amate, I got your message so full spirit and 
dignity that you sent me on January 18.

I’ve followed all that’s happening with you with great interest—all of 
you political prisoners in the Amate Prison and also those of you who 
are in San Cristobal and Playas de Catazajá.

You, like most political prisoners, are charged with common crimes, but 
we all know that this is a legal maneuver to keep you in prison because 
the real reason you’re there is the repression and hostility of the 
government against the indigenous communities and social organizations 
that oppose oppression and the system of local power bosses and are 
struggling for democracy, justice, and equality.

I’m deeply concerned about the fact that some of you have been on hunger 
strike and others have been fasting for more than 40 days. I’m writing 
to express my support, to tell you that we are comrades and brothers and 
sisters in struggle and that you are in my thoughts. But above all, I’m 
writing to say that you have taught all us political prisoners something.

The large majority of us experienced arbitrary arrest and torture, but 
once we were in jail the mistreatment stopped. For most of you, on the 
other hand, going to prison not only means being subjected to an illegal 
trial, but also to continued torture, and, on top of that, extortion by 
prison authorities.

But instead of caving in, you’ve gotten organized. Instead of dealing 
with prison on an individual basis, you’re united and struggling 
together. The consequences have been isolation, transfers to other 
prisons, and other types of retaliation, but your efforts have resulted 
in your voice being heard both inside and outside the country.

Your voice also reached us in the jails where we’re being held as 
political prisoners, and not only speaks of the injustices you’ve 
experienced; it also reflects intelligence, dignity, spirit, 
collectivity, and valor. Your voice is one that we other political 
prisoners listen to with admiration and respect. You are an example to 
follow.

This Sunday they told me that comrade Zacario Hernández was released. I 
was so glad to hear the news since he’d been on hunger strike for more 
than a month.
I don’t know if any of the other comrades have been freed. At any rate, 
the struggle continues for all the political prisoners in the country, 
and especially right now for all those in the Chiapas jails.

Comrades of The Voice of Amate, I also hope we can keep writing to each 
other no matter where we are, whether we’re in jail or free (prison is 
not eternal), whether we’re in a big city or a small place. Like you 
said in your letter, we’ll keep on struggling arm in arm, shoulder to 
shoulder, not only for the freedom of the political prisoners, but also 
for a better world where Freedom, Democracy, Justice and Equality are 
real, not just words.

A big hug to all of you.

Gloria Arenas Agis.

Women and the Sixth, DF-Edomex

 From Below and to the Left with all our Heart