students of the Economic Research and Teaching Center (CIDE) decided to withdraw from the facilities of the Mexico City campus located in Santa Fe. “The student community of the CIDE we initiated an asymmetric resistance against the arbitrariness of the authorities of the Conacyt, with the aim of safeguarding the legality of our statutes and the optimal functioning of the institution. Today (January 15) we are 48 days after having recovered our facilities”, however, they assured that they are facing an institutional crisis that is far from being resolved due to the refusal of the Authorities of the National Science and Technology Council (Conacyt) to establish a constructive and horizontal dialogue.
For this reason, and also in response to the health emergency that Mexico and the world are experiencing due to covid-19 pandemic, students will change the defense strategy. “For several days we have seen with concern the increase in cases of Covid-19 in the world, the country and within our community, we recognize that we have a social duty as citizens to prevent the increase in infections and seek the well-being of society. in general, which exceeds our struggle and concerns us all. In this sense, considering the health risk involved in maintaining the recovery of the facilities, we decided to move on to other forms of resistance”.
During the liberation of the campus, in a symbolic act, they decided to remove the general management desk and leave the banners hanging with the demands of the community. Through the prompts: The CIDE lives and lives, the fight goes on and on!, CIDE first, take out Romero! and More science, less obedience! They assured that from this moment on the fight will continue in the streets.
“The desk of the General Directorate of @CIDE_MX is available to anyone who shows commitment to excellence, relevance and equity. @ElenaBuylla imposed us on an incompetent and arbitrary spurious. But today, fortunately, the students took it out.” read from account @plumaverdeORG.
It should be noted that the central region building, located in Aguascalientes, had already been released on December 17, thus all the facilities belonging to CIDE are no longer in the hands of the students.
“Despite the fact that sanitary conditions force us to change the place of our struggle, we guarantee that it will continue and we will join those of other students and institutions that ensure quality public education, autonomy, freedom of expression and student participation” .
These actions have been supported by teachers, administrative staff and supporters, Sergio Lopez Ayllón himself, former director of the institution, sent a message through his account @slayllon: “When the whole world is silent, even a single voice becomes powerful’ That’s what the CIDE students teach us every day: they did not anticipate obedience to authority that does not generate trust. Example of consistency and civic value. Thanks! @plumaverdeORG, @AsambleaCide”
The immediate steps
The student community of CIDE assured that they will continue with other actions due to the insistence of the director of the Conacyt, María Elena Álvarez-Buylla, to seek a meeting with associates to reform the CIDE General Statute and thus remove decision-making power from the Academic Council, which is represented by professors assigned to the different divisions.
They insisted that this fact would be a flagrant violation, so “We urge the partners to respect the normative procedure and guarantee the democracy of our school”.
On the other hand, Trusan & Roma, Abogados announced through their social networks that they will join CIDE’s legal defense as a bonus.
Conacyt celebrates the eviction action
Through a statement the Conacyt celebrated the eviction, emphasizing that the event was peaceful. “It was a free and voluntary decision by the group of people who, since November 29, 2021, have kept the facilities occupied.”
It should be noted that although the Conacyt He assures that with this understanding can be generated and they speak of the “rebirth of a more plural, diverse and inclusive CIDE”, they do not clarify any date or format for a meeting with the community. “Freeing up the facilities and allowing the broader community of the CIDE being able to re-enter their classrooms and offices is a significant and positive act that we celebrate as it contributes to mutual understanding and conciliation of controversies between the members of the student community who have expressed disagreement and the CIDE authorities.”
They also insisted on the announcement of the new National Scholarship Program where, as of 2022, tuition and other types of fees for undergraduate, master’s and postgraduate students in the 26 Conacyt Public Research Centers, including CIDE, will cease to exist. “directly and without intermediaries”, however, according to the specialists, for this to happen, a series of modifications to the statutes must be generated that would leave a greater number of attributions to the Council and leave out the plurality with which Until now, decisions were made in the Conacyt centers.
nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx
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