“We, the indigenous women and the communities categorically and overwhelmingly reject, before the government of the Plurinational State and its operatives, the construction of the TIPNIS highway, the [proposed] abrogation of Law 180, and the deceitful acts, the bribes, for their threat to human life, and [for the resulting] permanent colonization and despoiling of three indigenous nations.”

“Las mujeres indígenas y comunidades rechazamos de forma categórica y contundente ante el gobierno del Estado Plurinacional y sus operadores la construcción de la carretera al Tipnis, la abrogación de la Ley 180 y acto mentiroso, prebendas, por atentar contra la vida humana, la colonización permanente y el despojo de tres naciones indígenas” (Source: Los Tiempos)

This was the reaction of Marqueza Teco, president of the organization of women of the Isiboro-Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory (TIPNIS) to the recently announced draft law that would repeal Law 180 and authorize the building of a highway across their lands.

You can hear more of her comments here:

Teco assumed the role of president of the women’s organization in December, when TIPNIS corregidores, corregidoras, and other delegates from 42 communities gathered in  Villanueva on the Isiboro River to renew and unify leadership within the territory.  Domingo Nogales of Galilea community was elected to head the organization of TIPNIS indigenous at the meeting. While women have played a visible role in TIPNIS mobilizations, the current women’s organization is playing a more public and vocal role in speaking on behalf the territory. You can hear Teco describing the organization and the meeting that founded it here:

The Women’s Subcentral issued the following pronouncement on March 4, 2017: