The Moment: Mexico City, Mexico - June 18, 2008
The Age
Saturday August 23, 2008
I had gone to mexico city to photograph child matadors, but by the time I arrived, my contacts had fallen through. With no idea what to shoot instead, I was told by a local to take a look at the "naked farmers" who protest at a square on the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City's main boule-vard, from noon to 2pm and from 4pm to 6pm every day.
The farmers, most of whom belong to the Nahua indigenous community from Veracruz state, are part of the Movimiento de los 400 Pueblos. They demonstrate daily against former Veracruz governor Dante Delgado Rannauro, whose picture covers their genital region and whom they accuse of seizing their land and violating their human rights. (Former Mexican president Vicente Fox, whom they accuse of doing little to help them, is depicted on their face masks.) They protest naked to show they now have nothing. Many of the farmers live where they protest. They stay for a few months, then rotate with other farmers and their families. They sleep in makeshift tents and bathe in the square's fountain. While they have permission to protest in the square, they also stage rallies in front of nearby government offices.I was enthralled by the absurdity and the energy of the protest. There was an electric atmosphere with drumming, dancing and the farmers chanting "respuestas" (answers). I was also amazed at how many riot police were watching. I was leaving for the day when I noticed this officer wearing bright pink lipstick, reading a magazine and looking bored. She, like most of the police monitoring the protest, couldn't have been less interested, as this is a campaign that has been running for years. For this officer, it was just another day at work. For the farmers, it remains an issue with no resolution in sight.
© 2008 The Age