Amilcingo (Mexico): A Mexican environment activist was shot dead on Wednesday. Samir Flores was protesting against a plan to build a gas pipeline through his central Mexican town. This happened three days before a scheduled public referendum on the energy generation project. The project will include two thermoelectric plants, a gas pipeline to supply the plant with natural gas from Tlaxcala state and an aqueduct.
Two vehicles were parked in front of Flores' home around 5 am on Wednesday. People inside the vehicles called to him and then shot him when he came out, said Peoples in Defence of Land and Water Front group. Flores was a member of this group.
According to the Morelos (where Amilcingo is) state government, the murder is under investigation but there 'is no indication that the murder is related to the upcoming referendum. The government thinks that the murder could have been carried out by criminal groups operating in the area.
A day before his murder, Flores had attended a public forum about the project and challenged government representatives' statements, told the Defence of Land and Water Front group.
Lopez Obrador, the Mexican President has used referendums to let the public decide on other large projects.
The group has also said that Flores had been threatened a number of times since 2012. They have also blamed the federal government for his death. The group has also warned President Lopez Obrador in a letter that pushing ahead with the referendum on the project could lead to violence in the area.
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(With inputs from APTN)
