Adolfo was 28 years old and was the father of two children. Adalberto was shot in the leg and is imprisoned in Coronel Oviedo regional prison, in Caaguazú department. Nestor, who was also arrested, is in Asuncion, capital of Paraguay, receiving treatment for his inured jaw.

His father is the Head of the Commission of Victims of the group of families of the peasants who were murdered during the massacre, where six police officers also died.
Marina Cue is irregularly in the hands of cattle company Campos Morombi of businessman and former politician of the Colorado Party Blas Riquelme, who died on September 2nd.

The information managed by Mariano is that his son, Adolfo, was executed. Before losing his life, he had given his three-year old son to a woman, who never left his side during the hell lived during the attack by the police. She protected him during the shooting and kept him with her for hours, even after being arrested. She gave him only at the Curuguaty health center, where she arrived injured and arrested. Her name is Alicia Agüero and was imprisoned at Coronel Oviedo.

“I’m sure that all the people who died there were landless people, not criminals”. There were all working people who wanted a piece of land, and that’s why they lost their lives”, said Mariano to Real World Radio. The leader’s mother tongue is Guarani, however, he spoke in fluent Spanish with us.

Mariano’s statement of the people murdered in Marina Cue not being criminals is not a coincidence. It is a response to a large part of the Paraguayan conservative media which can be associated with the traditional economic and political power of the country, which didn’t hesitate in stating that those who were occupying Marina Cue were criminals or terrorists. “They were innocent”, said Mariano.

The Head of the Commission of Victims of the family of the people murdered in Marina Cue also told us about his son injured in the jaw and who is currently in jail. So far he’s only been able to feed on liquids. “If a human being is in jail injured it is unfair”, and added that “human rights don’t exist”. Mariano can’t visit his sons as often as he would like to. Amid economic hardship it is impossible to pay for the travel expenses to Coronel Oviedo or Asuncion.

The family of the dead peasants are demanding three specific things: the release of the arrested people and the dismissal of the charges against the 54 fugitives, economic compensation for the families of the murdered people and the granting of contested lands to landless peasants. “Since 2003 we know that these are state lands, these are not privately-owned lands”, said Mariano, who explained that this certainty gave way to the peasant struggle over the Marina Cue land nine years ago.

Mariano’s description about the behavior of the police the day of the massacre (which took place early in the morning) and the first peasant response, is the same than the testimonies of the inhabitants of the area, the people arrested, other family members of the murdered peasants and other sources. There were 400 police officers involved in the operation, which also included a helicopter, officers on horses, 25 police cars and even ambulances and nurses who were ready. The peasants were about 60 and were cornered from two fronts. The landless workers asked the police to dialogue, but it was impossible, according to the many testimonies.

There is another important coincidence in the testimonies. Several peasants were executed when they were already hurt, on the ground or while they were running for their lives. A small number of the peasants died in the crossfire. Many landless workers tried to escape and were chased by the police officers.

About the dead police officers and the possession of guns by the peasants there are contradicting stories. Some of them indicate that the landless peasants didn’t posses guns or didn’t have guns at the moment of the police attack. Another source said that the peasants had shotguns.

These are some of the reports gathered during the International Human Rights and Solidarity Mission taking place in Paraguay and that visited the area of the "Curuguaty massacre" on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Coordination of Latin American Rural Organizations (CLOC) Via Campesina, FIAN International, the Human Rights Group on Research and Sustainability of UNESCO’s chair at the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, the Global Campaign for an Agrarian Reform and Real World Radio participated.

Mariano’s sons told his parents that the peasants had put a sign for the police officers to read: "Victory or Death". “They wanted to resist because they’ve been struggling for over nine years (for Marina Cue’s land) because they knew that the lands were not privately-owned but they were state lands”, said Mariano.

The Yvy Pytã community was severely hit after June 15th. There, there are many of the family members of the murdered peasants and people who are part of the struggle for Marina Cue. It was reported that someone infiltrated the landless peasants before the operation. That’s why a feeling of distrust surrounds the area. But according to the residents, they slowly started to talk and to organize themselves again. They state that they won’t stop fighting until Marina Cue is theirs. “More than ever we are joining our efforts and we are strong enough to conquer this land. We won’t let soy to be cultivated over the blood of our friends and children”, said Mariano, who recognized that the community is “deeply hurt”.

“I wish the Paraguayan authorities accepted their responsibility”, said Mariano to Real World Radio. “Here in Paraguay there is only justice for the rich people, the big landowners and businessmen”. There are only struggles for the poor people, he concluded.

Photo: Real World Radio