Tijuana, May 7. The Pa Ipai indigenous community of Santa Catarina, located south of Ensenada, reported to the Baja California State Electoral Institute (IEEBC) and the public that three candidates for elected office from the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM) forged the signature of their community's authority in order to run as representatives of that minority in the June 2 elections.
The Pa Ipai, one of the state's five indigenous groups—all of Yuman origin—strongly denounced and rejected "the usurpation of our culture and identity by members of the Green Ecologist Party to obtain candidacies in the upcoming state elections."
In their public complaint, they directly pointed to Yiria Yamith Iñiguez Coria , “who, taking advantage of the principle of substantive equality promoted by the INE, identified herself as pa ipai to run as a candidate for deputy for the 17th local district.”
"Our community does not recognize this person as part of our people. She never requested a letter of endorsement from us, and she does not meet any of the INE guidelines for recognition as Indigenous," they noted.
