Nestora Salgado García
Nestora Salgado García is a human rights defender and indigenous leader from the state of Guerrero, where she has worked to protect indigenous rights, and in particular the right of indigenous peoples' to self-determination.
Prior to her arrest in August 2013, she led the organisation of the Coordinadora Regional de Autoridades Comunitarias: Policía Comunitaria – CRAC-PC (Regional Coordinating Body of Community Authorities: Community Police) in the municipality of Olinalá, in Guerrero. The community police force was organised and led by Nestora Salgado García in an effort to combat increases in violence, violent crimes, political corruption, and violations of the rights of indigenous peoples in the municipality of Olinalá. The Governor of Guerrero initially promised to support the community police force, before deciding to eliminate it in November 2014.
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.
