Land Defence and Indigenous Resurgence in Mexico and Abya Yala/Latin America

The implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) has leveraged new waves of Indigenous land defence. In Mexico and other parts of Abya Yala/Latin America, communities previously categorized as “campesinos” are reclaiming Indigenous identities to access UNDRIP protections. This was the case for people in Juanacatlán and El Salto, Mexico, who opposed the construction of a thermal power station. In this presentation, I will discuss my decision to refuse research (Tuck & Yang, 2014) on Coca resurgence in this context. Instead, I examine how mestizaje—a colonial narrative of racial mixing—can be re-enacted to uphold ethical commitments toward Indigenous Peoples and territories. This involves questioning the privileged positioning of mestizos in Mexico and the colonial nature of mestizaje itself.

About the presenter

Carlos E. Sánchez-Pimienta (he/him) is a Vanier Scholar, Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar, Massey College Junior Fellow, and PhD Candidate at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. In his dissertation research, Carlos explores what people defending their territories from industrial pollution can teach us about creating healthier and more sustainable worlds. In his free time, Carlos enjoys dancing and hiking.