Indigenous political candidates in Mexico emerge to change corruption in government and electoral process. Marla de Jesus Patricio Martinez, who goes by Marichuy, travels the country seeking support from indigenous communities to run for office in 2018.
Her popularity rises as she holds a platform celebrating working class and poor indigenous people, a population Marichuy says are underrepresented in electoral politics; and often an institution excluding their participation.
A candidate backed by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, a political, revolutionary group, she also works to challenge sexism and the racial hierarchy in the country.
“As a woman, as a mother, and as a worker, let me tell you something: we have to fight sexism,” she said. “For them, common people don’t exist. We have to organize, and end this capitalistic, patriarchal and racist state.”
Marichuy refuses government funding for her candidacy. General elections are scheduled for July 2018.
