INAH Denies That Archaeological Sites In Chiapas Are At Risk Due To Violence Generated By Drug Trafficking.

Mica for cartelinsider.com

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) stated that it maintains control of all archaeological sites in the state of Chiapas, this after it was revealed a few days ago that the sites of Yaxchilán, Bonampak, Toniná and Lagartero were being affected by drug trafficking violence.

In a statement, INAH clarified that Bonampak and Lagartero are open to the public; while Yaxchilán is facing a condition of inaccessibility; and negotiations with a private individual are taking place in Toniná to reopen access to the site.

The Institute labeled as “false, tendentious, and irresponsible” the claim that these archaeological sites are in danger due to drug trafficking and reiterated that it maintains control of the sites and fulfills its responsibilities in regards to their care, custody, research, and dissemination.

Diego Prieto Hernández, who is at the head of INAH, recognized that at some point it has been necessary to temporarily close certain areas for various reasons, not necessarily related to security.

As of today, the archaeological sites of Bonampak and Lagartero are open to the public and in operation,” they reported and added that there are no looting activities in Bonampak as previously claimed.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History stated that so far it has not received any reports of damage or loss to archaeological sites.

On the other hand, it was clarified that the Yaxchilán area has been inaccessible since last December due to “social situations that prevent the community of Frontera Corozal from offering the service of boat transportation to the archaeological site”.

Given this situation, he has advised tourists not to go to certain areas of the archaeological zone as they may have a “frustrating visiting experience”.

As for the case of Toniná, there is a controversy with an individual, who is the owner of a land that is necessary to pass through in order to reach the archaeological site. As of today, the INAH, through its representation in Chiapas, is dialoguing and agreeing on terms in order to grant compensation to this person.

In recent days, columnist Adriana Malvido wrote for El Universal that there were archaeological sites in Chiapas that the INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) had already lost control of, ranging from the Sierra Madre and the Lacandon Jungle to San Cristóbal de las Casas with Yaxchilán and Bonampak.

In that column, the expert in culture stated that the archaeological zones of Chiapas have become ghost places because “insecurity and crime” are the only things that stand there for the past two years.

It is worth noting that for some time now, the conflict between drug cartels in Chiapas has resulted in more than a thousand disappearances and approximately three thousand displaced persons in border areas with Guatemala, affecting communities in eight municipalities in Chiapas.

According to testimonies and reports from activists, the recent clashes between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) have intensified insecurity and violence in the region. An example of this is Chicomuselo, where residents have set up barricades to prevent the passage of drug trafficking, leading to conflicts with police who are trying to enter the territories.

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Mica

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