Women, Caciques and Remote Indigenous Towns

Nothing in indigenous usage prohibits governance by a woman; many towns such as Tlalixtac de Cabrera (about twenty minutes by bus from Oaxaca City, and roughly twice the size of Santa Maria Quiegolani) have elected a woman to fill the position. In Tlalixtac, the woman mayor chosen last week is highly respected for her community services. Now retired with a pension, she can afford to give her time and energy to her town. So electing a woman depends on each autonomous town’s own decisions. At present, of the 412 municipalities governed by traditional indigenous laws known as usos y costumbres, at least 80 impede participation by women. But it’s not clear how many of these do so because of machismo, or because of caciquismo – the power of local political bosses.

The Sierra Sur is the area most named as containing towns on the verge of violence, identified as a foco rojo – a red flag or problem area on the map.

Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza, who just turned 28, is a university graduate in accounting, and director of a technical school for indigenous students. She left her remote hometown of Santa María Quiegolani to pursue her education and a career. She returned to run for the mayor’s office, supported by a group of women – how many, I don’t know, but it seems from what I read that Eufrosina is leading a true indigenous women’s movement.