In a historic ruling that marks a precedent in the defense of the rights of nature, the Fourth District Judge of the Auxiliary Center of the Fifth Region granted protection in favor of representatives of the Mayan peoples.
The ruling recognizes the ecological and cultural value of bees. It condemns the omissions of federal and state authorities that have allowed their massive death due to the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and deforestation.
After 15 years of struggle, a historic resolution was achieved that recognized bees as subjects of law, a step that underlined their economic, ecosystem, and cultural importance.
Lawyer Jorge Fernández Mendiburu highlighted that these pollinators are essential for environmental balance and that their protection also implies safeguarding the ancestral beekeeping practices of the Mayan communities.
This recognition will allow Mayan communities to demand effective measures to protect bees and their environment. The resolution binds Mexican federal government agencies that must implement actions to combat the environmental crisis, including the prohibition of dangerous pesticides, compliance with restrictions on glyphosate, and the elimination of aerial fumigation.
The restoration of ecosystems will also be promoted through biological corridors and illegal deforestation activities will be sanctioned. The ruling also recognizes the Mayan communities as guardians of bees, highlighting their ancestral link with these pollinators, fundamental for biodiversity and food security in the region.
The legal injunction, presented on May 19, 2023, by the Mayan Alliance for Kaabnalo’on Bees, denounced violations of the collective rights of the Mayan peoples and the rights of bees as essential beings for biodiversity.
This legal victory not only makes visible the impact of the environmental crisis in the Yucatan Peninsula but also demands the protection of pollinators against megaprojects and unsustainable agricultural models.
Leydy Araceli Pech Martín, Mayan beekeeper, and environmental activist, highlighted that this fight, started in 2012, has been a constant battle against government indifference.
“Bees die every day due to pesticides and the destruction of ecosystems. This ruling is not only a victory for beekeepers but for life itself. Without bees, the environmental balance is at risk,” he warned.
TYT Newsroom
