Yes. In Mexico, the legal and political system comes from a revolution that took place in the 19th century. The constitution we have today is a direct consequence of that revolution. During most of the 20th century, our constitution ultimately was a way of building our country. There were negotiations with Canada and the U.S. for NAFTA. Since then, this social project to build a nation has gradually become a way of building a neo-liberal country.
One of the land property models that we have in Mexico is the collective property or social property model. I'm referring not only to indigenous communities, but also to agricultural communities and the “ejidos” as we call them—collective property.
When the preliminary negotiations for NAFTA came about, the Governments of Canada and the United States asked for these areas of collective ownership to be changed into.... Well, let me say that these areas of collective ownership were inalienable. They could not be sold; the owners could not sell them. Canada and the U.S. asked them to change that model of ownership. This was in 1992. Today, we have a new ownership model that is similar but allows for the sale of land, so individuals can negotiate with collective owners of lots in order to access all of the resources in the ground.
The problem is that 13% of our national territory has been given over to mines. There are concessions to mines. The owners of those lots do not know that the resources in the ground have been given over to the mines.
For example, indigenous communities are often approached by mines for negotiations, but these negotiations are not being done on an even playing field. They are taking place between, on the one hand, mining companies with a huge amount of resources, and on the other hand, indigenous communities that are living in the most severe poverty. Large companies, both Mexican and Canadian, worry very little about the progress or development of indigenous communities. They tell them they're going to get rich, but they don't offer them any advantages in the area of, for example, health care.
Very often, the mines do not inform the indigenous communities as to the true consequences of the decision. The indigenous communities accept the terms because they have no other options. Once the mine arrives on the ground, it starts destroying the environment.