Johan Neufeld Wall, owner of the El Progreso and El Porvenir properties in Hopelchén, accused the president of the State Superior Court of suggesting they negotiate with the claimant seeking to dispossess them.
The Mennonite community of Hopelchén, in Campeche, reported on Thursday that the president of the State Superior Court (TSJE), Juan Pedro Alcudia, has proposed they sit down to negotiate with the person who, they claim, is trying to take their land. The accusation was made by Johan Neufeld Wall, owner of the El Progreso and El Porvenir properties, who described the proposal as unacceptable.
Negotiation proposal rejected
Neufeld Wall explained that during the judicial process, Alcudia suggested they talk to the claimant, Luis Villareal, to reach an agreement. “How can we negotiate something that has cost us effort, money, and that we have worked on for 15 years?” questioned the Mennonite, visibly upset.
The Mennonites hold property titles dating back to 1994, according to documents presented to the media. In 2012, they formalized a sales contract with Gregorio Sánchez Martínez, registered at Notary 12 of Alberto Fuentes Tzec. Additionally, in 2015, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) granted them permission to clear the land, with intervention from the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).
Accusations against the judge and the public prosecutor
Neufeld Wall also pointed to the Oral Trials judge in Campeche, Ana Maribel Wuitz May, for issuing an eviction order on two occasions against the El Ramonal property, which he claims does not exist. “Where they tried to evict us is El Progreso and El Porvenir,” he clarified. The order was directed to the Public Prosecutor, Francisco Pérez Coyoc.
The Mennonites reiterated that they have legitimate documents proving their ownership, while the claimant, according to them, lacks deeds and uses “tricks” to try to dispossess them. The litigation began in 2018 and has been marked by constant tensions.
Support and next steps
On Thursday, the Mennonites attended the oral trial room to continue with the legal process, accompanied by Luz María Mendoza from the National Front for the Rescue of the Mexican Countryside. They announced that the next hearing is scheduled for July 16, where they hope justice will be served and the trial will restart from its beginning.
The community demands that their property rights be respected and that what they consider an attempt at dispossession be brought to an end. “We have legal documents, we have worked these lands for 15 years and we will not yield to pressure,” Neufeld Wall asserted.
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