Thousands March in Oaxaca Against Gender-Based Violence and State Repression

On International Women’s Day (8M), thousands of women marched through the streets of Oaxaca, Mexico, demanding an end to gender-based violence. This historic demonstration—the first 8M march under President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female leader—was met with both resistance and repression, underscoring the ongoing fight for women’s safety in a country where violence remains a daily reality.

Chants like “¡La policía no me cuida! ¡Me cuidan mis amigas!” (The police don’t protect me. My friends do) echoed through the streets, underscoring a harsh reality: in the face of systemic violence and impunity, women in Mexico must rely on their communities for protection—rather than the state.

Mexico’s statistics on violence against women are alarming. In 2023, over 10 women were killed daily, with over 2,500 female homicide victims and more than 800 femicides reported, according to the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection. More than 40% of women over age 15 have experienced some form of violence in their childhood, as reported by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

Women of all ages flood the streets of Oaxaca on International Women’s Day to protest violence against women.

Oaxaca is one of Mexico’s poorest states, with a significant indigenous population that often faces additional barriers to justice and safety. The intersection of poverty, indigeneity, and gender-based violence exacerbates the vulnerability of women in the region.

“You are not alone, I believe you” written on a city wall.

Lourdes, an indigenous merchant from Oaxaca’s Zócalo, encapsulated the sentiment of many protesters: “I am here because no woman should endure what we experience in this country. It’s not just for me but for my daughter and all those who come after us.”

Protesters tore down metal barriers erected by the Oaxaca government, which had been criticized as a provocation aimed at demobilizing feminist actions. 

The collective Mujeres Tejiendo Comunidad described these barriers as a form of provocation. “They cannot and will not succeed against our diversity, our strength, our ancestral wisdom, our creativity, our joy, our courage, and our sisterhood,” said a statement from the collective.

“The lives of women should not be in danger!” reads a protester’s sign.

As tourists watched the march unfold, some looked on with awe at the protesters, while others expressed concern over the escalating tensions. Some still took photos, disregarding the protesters’ explicit requests not to do so—an act that added to an already charged atmosphere.

Leading much of the action were women dressed in black, part of the ‘Black Block.’ They dismantled fences, spray-painted buildings, and posted flyers featuring the faces of accused aggressors who had yet to face justice. 

“We represent the part of feminism that is angry and tired. We tried to have our voices heard in many other ways, but it did nothing. Now, if we destroy, at least they turn their head,” said a member of the Black Block.

The march was met with repression. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters as they approached the Government Palace, despite the presence of children and elderly individuals. Governor Salomón Jara Cruz was at the center of the confrontation, ordering public security forces to fire tear gas.

Women tore down barriers at the Oaxaca Cathedral and attempted to set fire to its doors and the Government Palace entrance.

Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to suppress women during the protest in Oaxaca.

As protesters chanted, “¡Salomón, canalla, tus vallas no nos callan!” (Salomón, scoundrel, your barriers won’t silence us!), they underscored their determination to be heard. The march concluded with slogans demanding an end to repression against Oaxacan women and highlighting the lack of progress for women in the region.

Governor Jara Cruz’s response to the protests has been criticized, particularly in light of his handling of the disappearance of Sandra Domínguez, a prominent indigenous activist who went missing last October. Domínguez was known for exposing misogyny within Oaxaca’s political structure, including the sharing of intimate photos of indigenous women by state officials.

The lack of decisive action from Governor Jara Cruz has led to continued pressure from activists and organizations demanding more effective action to address such disappearances. His response to the march, marked by repression rather than dialogue, has further strained relations between the government and feminist groups.

During the march, protesters emphasized that ‘being a woman in Oaxaca means resisting a patriarchal system that kills, disappears, exploits, and invisibilizes women.’ Since the start of what has been called the “Oaxacan Spring”—a period that began with the new administration in 2022 and is expected to continue through 2028—violence against women has remained a crisis. In the past three years, 225 femicides have been recorded, and 855 women have disappeared, bringing the total to 1,080 women whose lives have been stolen—either through murder or enforced disappearance—without justice or answers.

“We are filled with anger and powerlessness in the face of the violent repression imposed in Oaxaca,” Soledad Venegas Nava of the Group of Studies on Women (GES Mujer) said. “We demand effective guarantees and public policies. We raise our voices in solidarity with the diverse women's movement so that these demands are heard and addressed with truth and urgency.”

“I fight because at six years old, I was raped” reads a protester’s sign.

The future of gender equity in Mexico will depend on whether leaders like President Sheinbaum can translate their positions into meaningful policy changes that address the deep-seated inequalities women face. The violent repression of the march in Oaxaca serves as a reminder that the path to change is fraught with challenges.