SUMMARY

Santo Domingo Teojomulco was an actor battling for control over territory in Mexico, based in the municipality with the same name. The group consisted of members of an indigenous village involved in inter-community conflicts specifically motivated by long-standing disputes over land and its resources.

The group was from the village of Las Huertas, which is located in the municipality of Santo Domingo Teojomulco, Oaxaca State. In this impoverished region where the group resides, land disputes often end in bloodshed. The conflict’s origins can be traced to the early 1900’s, and the rivalry has taken the form of violent confrontations that have claimed human lives and caused feelings of resentment and desires for revenge.

In terms of military capabilities and other assets, the community had approximately 400 inhabitants, and they had been in possession of automatic rifles and other large caliber weaponry. Santo Domingo Teojomulco were in control over large land areas, of which 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares) have also been claimed by the rival community Santiago Xochiltepec.

Until 1935 there used to be a gold mine in the area, but since then the people have had to move to other means of earning their living. This has meant that they are taking lands into use that were before used by neighboring towns – something that has resulted in their involvement in a number of land based conflicts ever since 1935.

The people of Santo Domingo Teojomulco have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP data.