Now is the time for all social organizations that aren’t happy with the security in their states to join their community police forces, said Nestora Salgado in her first press conference after going free.
After being jailed for two years and seven months, where she faced six sentences having been accused of crimes such as kidnapping, homicide and robbery, on Thursday night they let her go.
Now Salgado says that we should seek liberty for political prisoners.
“I’m the voice of the people, I’m the voice of those who don’t have a voice, I’m the face of those who don’t have a face, of those who no one sees, those who are locked up and no one knows they’re in jail. My voice was heard by my people, it was allowed to cross borders by the media. But there are so many prisoners, we’re talking about 500 political prisoners.”
She thanked those who followed her case, but also denounced those who fingered her unjustly.
“Because when people didn’t believe in me, they believed me. Although Señora Miranda de Wallace accused me, but God forgive her. I have already forgiven her.”
This was a reunion of happiness, pain and hope because, as Cleotilde, sister of Nestora, said, leaving her in prison was the hardest thing she’s had to face.
“When I visited her in Tepic Nayarit, my heart split. Friends, when I came and then had to leave my blood a prisoner, it was the most painful, friends.”
Gisel, Nestora’s daughter, looked overwhelmed by her feelings and in a halting voice praised the return of her mother.
“It’s a very happy day for us. It’s a day that’s full of feelings. Right now we don’t know whether we should scream or cry, because she got out, but she lost almost three years.”
I’m the voice of the people, I’m the voice of those who don’t have a voice, I’m the face of those who don’t have a face, of those who no one sees, those who are locked up and no one knows they’re in jail.”
-Nestora Salgado. Community police activist
The strength and cohesion of the community police didn’t seem undermined by the absence of Salgado, but they say they are at the service of the people.
“We community police are people of our town, people that decide, if I can say it like this, the way of dying,” said Giovanni Torres, community police commander. “We have decided to die fighting and giving security to our offspring, our family and to our people.”
The liberation of Salgado generated fears among those who falsely accused her of various crimes, who took away her liberty for two years and seven months, but she said there would be no payback and that she wouldn’t hold a grudge.
“I don’t have any grudge,” she said. “I want to say that my heart is large, many people fit in it and I only give love.”
Salgado will travel to the United States to receive medical attention and in a few weeks will return to Olinala, she confirmed.
THE NEWS