In Querétaro, Mexico, a high school student was set on by his classmates for speaking an indigenous language.
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The victim, named Juan Pablo Zamorano, is Otomi, one of the indigenous peoples from the Latin America region. When he used the Otomi language in class, one of his classmates poured alcohol on his chair. When Juan stood up after realizing his pants were wet, another classmate ignited a lighter. As a result, Juan suffered severe second and third-degree burns on his lower body. He was immediately taken to the nearby hospital, where he underwent 4 surgeries before being eventually discharged.
“Juan has faced long-standing discrimination and bullying due to his Otomi heritage,” his attorney stated.
According to local news reports, Juan was harassed not only by his fellow peers but also by his teachers. “My son’s teacher thinks that we are neither her class nor her race,” Juan’s father remarked.
It was found that the teacher offered to help cover Juan’s medical expenses in exchange for Juan’s father not reporting the discrimination to the police.
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Structural discrimination against indigenous peoples has been a persistent issue in Mexico. A 2018 survey conducted by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics revealed that about 40% of the indigenous population reported experiencing discrimination. The survey also exposed prevalent discriminatory biases; notably, three out of ten respondents agreed with the statement that “The poverty of Indigenous people is due to their culture.”
Alexandra Haas, the Mexico representative for the international charity Oxfam, commented that cases like Juan’s are just the tip of the iceberg, highlighting the structural racism that perpetuates ongoing discrimination. Meanwhile, the presidential spokesperson, Jesus Ramirez, stressed, “Eradicating racism in our society is a matter for everyone. Peace is possible only if there is mutual respect.”
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