Fidel Heras Cruz
Fidel Heras Cruz worked for more than a decade in the United Council for the Defense of the Verde River (Consejo de Pueblos Unidos por la Defensa del Río Verde-COPUDEVER), a regional organization of towns, municipalities, communities and organizations of the Southern highlands and the Oaxacan Coast where Chatin Mixtec peoples and Afro-Mexicans affected by various interests to impose hydroelectric megaprojects participate. At the time of his assassination, Fidel was serving as president of the Ejidal Commissariat of his community Paso de la Reyna.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) and journalists in Mexico are subject to intimidation, legal harassment, arbitrary detention, death threats, acts of physical aggression, enforced disappearances and killings as a result of their activities in defence of human rights and the exercise of freedom of expression and journalism.
