Revista de la mañana. Entrevista con María Irene Rámirez. Campesina del Valle del Río Cimitarra

Abstract

Interview with María Irene Ramírez, a member of the Cimitarra River Valley Peasant Association (ACVC), who reflects on the organization's history of defending human rights, the land, and the region's peasant communities. The conversation takes place in light of an award the association received, which it considers a collective tribute to decades of resistance and community work. During the interview, Ramírez emphasizes that the Cimitarra River Valley Peasant Association has faced numerous difficulties since its inception, including institutional obstruction, stigmatization, persecution, threats, and the assassinations of peasant leaders. She recounts that the consolidation of the Peasant Reserve Zone was one of the organization's main objectives and a fundamental tool for strengthening peasant identity and protecting the land, despite the restrictions and obstacles imposed over many years. The peasant leader also addressed the voluntary crop substitution process for illicit crops, highlighting the active participation of hundreds of families and the importance of the State fulfilling its commitments to guarantee sustainable productive alternatives. She also expressed concern about the resurgence of violence against social leaders and rural communities, a situation she considers a threat to consolidating peace in these territories. Finally, Ramírez emphasized the ACVC's collaboration with other social and human rights organizations in the country, as well as the importance of sharing experiences in community organizing and territorial defense. She concluded by noting that the recognition received strengthens the visibility of peasant struggles and reaffirms the commitment to continue working for peace, social justice, and the implementation of the agreements in rural Colombia.