Lombana: 15% of Mexico's population identify as indigenous peoples

In Mexico, about 17 million people (15% of the total population) identify themselves as members of indigenous peoples, Mariana Posada Lombana, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, said during a roundtable at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

Lombana noted that when speaking of indigenous peoples, one must consider vast diversity in ethnicity, language, geography, and constitutional practices specific to each group.

"Therefore, indigenous peoples cannot be treated as a single, homogeneous concept. There is no universal recipe or state policy that fits all criteria. Each ethnic group's unique characteristics must be taken into account. For example, about 3.1 million people (2.4% of the population) in Mexico identify themselves as of African descent," the official added.

Lombana further stated that governments must elevate the legal status of indigenous issues to the highest level:

"Article 2 of the Mexican Constitution enshrines the rights of indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities to autonomy, self-determination, constitutional rights, access to land ownership, and use of natural resources. Furthermore, it is important to establish special state institutions to address indigenous issues. Mexico"s National Institute of Indigenous Peoples was founded in 2018, but its predecessor dates back to 1948. This institute regulates all state policies, programs, projects, and activities to ensure indigenous rights, support their comprehensive and sustainable development, and strengthen their culture and identity."