- This initiative will reach Mexican communities worldwide, as safeguarding indigenous languages directly protects their speakers.
- The Director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IMME), Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, praised this advance in protecting the rights of migrant indigenous communities.
Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente launched the "Indigenous Languages Consular Protection Initiative" and confirmed ongoing efforts to enhance protection for Mexican nationals in the United States by using indigenous languages.
Foreign Secretary de la Fuente reiterated that Mexico's foreign policy follows Mexican humanism principles that prioritize people and value cultural and linguistic diversity. The initiative will reach Mexican communities worldwide, particularly in the United States, because safeguarding indigenous languages directly protects their speakers.
The Director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IMME), Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, joined Foreign Secretary de la Fuente as he highlighted the commitment of President Sheinbaum's administration to including indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities in the country's transformation.
"Indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples are an inseparable part of the transformation of Mexico’s public life and have been both the driving force and strength of this transformation," he said.
Foreign Secretary de la Fuente emphasized the ministry's commitment to both preserving indigenous languages and using them to advance justice. Messages in 15 indigenous languages will be shown in Mexican consulates, embassies, and representative offices abroad.
The Foreign Ministry will continue its efforts to promote recognition that indigenous languages carry centuries of accumulated knowledge and remain vibrant and alive.
Foreign Secretary De la Fuente welcomed the new IMME Director and encouraged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs team to collaborate closely to strengthen initiatives benefiting Mexican nationals abroad.
IMME Director Clouthier welcomed this advance in protecting the rights of migrant indigenous communities. She reported that while 23.2 million people in Mexico identify as indigenous, only 7.4 million speak their language. She emphasized that multilingualism deserves pride and noted the significance of ongoing work to preserve indigenous languages.
The Acting Director of the National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI), Alma Rosa Espíndola Galicia, congratulated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IMME for establishing communication channels with indigenous migrants that acknowledge their linguistic and cultural characteristics.
She highlighted that indigenous language speakers helped create these messages, ensuring cultural and linguistic relevance while supporting linguistic rights and providing information access in native languages.
She praised the Foreign Ministry for developing public policies promoting inclusion, linguistic justice, and protection for indigenous migrant communities in the United States.
Cynthia Santiago, a Zapotec migrant lawyer, and Irla Elida Vargas, who holds a master’s degree in Amerindian studies and works as a Nahuatl interpreter in legal proceedings, also participated in the event.
