Tonalá, Chiapas — After being arrested for cutting down cedar trees without permission, state authorities of Chiapas imposed a single sentence on two men, which is to plant 3,000 trees and clean the Zanatenco River.
The unusual punishment was announced by la Fiscalía General del Estado de Chiapas who said the two men have six months to complete their sentence. They say they entered into a reparation agreement between 26-year-old Benjamin N and 40-year-old Ricardo N who were caught cutting down cedar trees on May 29.
During the arrest, both subjects were assured of a chainsaw, two bottles of gasoline and a Ford truck with license plates from the state of Chiapas.
The Prosecutor of the Costa District initiated the corresponding investigation folder for the commission of the crime of ecocide at La Almendra ranch located in Tonalá, after the pair were found guilty of cutting down dozens of cedar trees.
The pair must report to the court every 60 days and submit a progress report in both the planting of trees and cleaning of the river.
The FGE stressed that with the reparatory agreement, it prioritizes an innovative law enforcement in favor of the environmental heritage of Chiapas and adds to the protection of the more than 23,000 hectares of protected area.
