Mexico: Francisco Villa Popular Front (Frente Popular Francisco Villa, FPFV), including its origins, leaders, key activities, number of members, affiliation, if any, with other groups or political parties, address of its offices in Mexico City; involvement of the FPFV in any land disputes in Mexico City; whether the organization has brought forward evidence against individuals involved in illegal land transactions (1996-January 2002)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 17 January 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MEX38341.E |
| Reference | 5 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Mexico: Francisco Villa Popular Front (Frente Popular Francisco Villa, FPFV), including its origins, leaders, key activities, number of members, affiliation, if any, with other groups or political parties, address of its offices in Mexico City; involvement of the FPFV in any land disputes in Mexico City; whether the organization has brought forward evidence against individuals involved in illegal land transactions (1996-January 2002), 17 January 2002, MEX38341.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be7110.html [accessed 18 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Francisco Villa Popular Front (Frente Popular Francisco Villa, FPFV), variously described as a "radical and violent organization" (La Crónica de Hoy 10 Dec. 2001), a "radical urban group" (CNN 5 Dec. 2000), "radical leftist" (AFP 23 Sept. 1999), and an "activist group that agitates on behalf of the homeless and the poor" (The Arizona Republic 2 Sept. 2001), was formally established in February 1989 in Mexico City as a "broad front of social organizations" (frente amplio de organizaciones sociales) (La Jornada 9 Jan. 2000). The FPFV's founders, who included individuals forcefully displaced from the Lomas del Seminario squatter settlement in Ajusco Medio in November 1988 and given shelter at the political science faculty of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, UNAM) (ibid.; Cuestiones de América Mar. 2001), agreed to three fundamental principles that were to guide the Front in its activities: independence from the government and political parties; unity in action; and respect for the autonomy of each constituent group (La Jornada 9 Jan. 2000).
In a document published in 2001, the Electoral Institute of the Federal District (Instituto Electoral del Distrito Federal) identified the following individuals as members of the provisional management body of the FPFV: José Jiménez, Alejandro López Villanueva, Ana Montealbán, Leticia de la Cruz Magaña and Manuel Ramos Jiménez. Other reports variously described José Jiménez as FPFV spokesman (AFP 23 Sept. 1999; La Jornada 11 Apr. 2000; Cuestiones de América Mar. 2001) and member of its political council (ibid.). Alejandro López Villanueva, also known as "El Grandote" ( La Crónica de Hoy 20 Apr. 2000), has been described as a "principal leader" (dirigente principal) of the FPFV (La Jornada 9 Jan. 2000; ibid. 29 Jan. 2000; La Crónica de Hoy 20 Apr. 2000). Both Jiménez and López Villanueva have been FPFV leaders since at least September 1996 (ibid. 23 Sept. 1996).
According to the newspaper La Jornada, little is known regarding the internal workings of the FPFV (9 Jan. 2000). In a 6 January 2000 report, El Informador cited an unidentified journalist as saying that it is unclear whether the Front is part of the PRD or part of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional, PRI). While the FPFV was described as an organization affiliated with the PRD as recently as May 2001 (La Jornada 8 May 2001), and was credited with contributing to the PRD's 1997 election victory in the Federal District, its relations with the party "are not always simple" (no son siempre sencillas) (Cuestiones de América Mar. 2001). For example, in May 2001 the FPFV was among 10 PRD-affiliated organizations which "declared war" (declararon la guerra) on René Arce Islas, head of the PRD-run District of Iztapalapa after he announced that soldiers would participate in the execution of community projects (La Jornada 8 May 2001). The FPFV, along with the other groups, opposed Arce's move, claiming that it was illegal (ibid.).
No information on whether the FPFV is affiliated with other organizations could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
On 10 December 2001, La Crónica de Hoy claimed that the FPFV, with almost 40,000 members, is the largest social organization in the Federal District, and "perhaps the strongest" (quizá la más fuerte) city-based social movement country-wide. While the greatest concentration of FPFV members live in the Mexico City District of Iztapalapa ( Cuestiones de América Mar. 2001), the organization also has a presence in Tláhuac, Xochimilco and Tlalpan districts (La Crónica de Hoy 10 Dec. 2001; La Jornada 12 Oct. 1996). As well, the Front is reportedly active in the states of Hidalgo, Michoacán, Guerrero and Oaxaca (Cuestiones de América Mar. 2001). FPFV members, the majority of whom are from the states of Mexico, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz, are organized into "cells" or "brigades" and must reportedly perform 400 hours of community service, for example levelling land or assisting in the construction of buildings, before their membership in the organization is recognized (La Jornada 12 Oct. 1996).
The FPFV has reportedly led numerous land "invasions" in Mexico City as well as building several thousand homes for its members (ibid.; ibid. 9 Jan. 2000; El Informador 6 Jan. 2000). In settlements under its control, which were said to number 60 in January 2000, the Front has succeeded in securing services and other concessions from local authorities (ibid.). Among its other activities, the Front was deeply involved in the 1999-2000 strike at the UNAM (ibid.; La Jornada 29 Jan. 2000), with El Informador claiming that in many of the demonstrations organized by strike leaders, students were outnumbered by FPFV members (6 Jan. 2000).
Several reports of land disputes in Mexico City involving the FPFV were found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate; examples follow.
In October 1998, a dispute over the right to occupy a property located in Mexico City's historical district led to a violent confrontation between individuals associated with the FPFV and members of a group known as the Alameda Organization (La Jornada 31 Oct. 1998). A number of individuals were injured in the melee, which ended following the arrival of police officers (ibid.)
In June 1999, approximately 25 individuals were injured in a confrontation between the FPFV and riot police attempting to evict squatters living in "makeshift housing on an environmental reserve in southern Mexico City"; FPFV members were reportedly throwing rocks, bottles and gasoline bombs at some 250 police officers (Mexico Business Monthly 1 July 1999). No additional information on this incident could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
On 29 May 2001, residents of the Iztapalapa neighbourhood of Santa María Aztahuacán staged a demonstration outside the offices of the Mexico City government in order the pressure the authorities to expel a group of FPFV members that had occupied a flood control basin (ibid. 30 May 2001). The squatters had reportedly occupied the area for more than a year and refused to leave (ibid.). No additional information on this dispute could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
No information either on the address of FPFV offices in Mexico City, or on whether the organization has brought forward evidence against individuals involved in illegal land transactions, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 23 September 1999. "Fire Razes 850 Shacks in Mexican Squatter Camp." (NEXIS)
The Arizona Republic [Phoenix]. 2 September 2001. Tessie Borden. "Fox Defends Transition in 1st Address."
Cable News Network (CNN). 5 December 2000. "Mexico City's Mayor Takes Office, Pledges No-frills Government."
La Crónica de Hoy [Mexico City]. 10 December 2001. "Padierna nos prometío casa a cambio de apoyar a AMLO."
_____. 20 April 2000. Francisco Gómez and Francisco A. Morales. "Otro revés para la PGJDF: el juez 50 determina la libertad de El Grandote."
_____. 23 September 1996. Heriberta Ferrer Arias. "Han sido detenidos 64 miembros del FAC-MLN, tras la irrupción del EPR."
Cuestiones de América. March 2001. No. 3. "Un pie en la tierra y otro en el futuro.
El Informador [Guadalajara]. 6 January 2000. "Sociedad y poder."
Instituto Electoral del Distrito Federal. 2001. "Acuerdo del Consejo General del Instituto Electoral del Distrito Federal por el que se aprueba el dictamen de la comisión de asociaciones políticas, sobre la solicitud de registro, como agrupación política local, de la organización de ciudadanos denominada "Frente Popular Francisco Villa" y en consecuencia, no se otorga registro como agrupación política local a la organización de ciudadanos citada."
La Jornada [Mexico City]. 30 May 2001. Raúl Llanos Samaniego. "No hubo desviación de recursos a mi campaña: López."
_____. 8 May 2001. " Declaran guerra al delegado Arce grupos del PRD."
_____. 11 April 2000. " Dan entrada a petición de libertad de El Grandote."
_____. 29 January 2000. " No universitarios, la mayoría de los asistentes a la marcha del CGH."
_____. 9 January 2000. Daniela Pastrana "Mitos y realidades de los Panchos Villa ."
_____. 31 October 1998. "Bombas molotov y balazos en el Centro Histórico ."
_____. 12 October 1996. "Fue detenido el dirigente del Frente Popular Francisco Villa ."
Mexico Business Monthly. 1 July 1999. "Squatters Clash with Police." (Global News Wire/NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB databases.
Latin American Regional Reports: Mexico & NAFTA Report [London]. 1996-2001.
Mexico NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. 1996-1999.
Internet sites including:
La Crónica de Hoy [Mexico City]. 2001.
Reforma [Mexico City]. 2001-2002.
