Tulancingo, Hidalgo /
TO 500 days of the publication of the decree of the Zone of Archaeological Monuments (ZMA) for the polygon Huapalcalcoin Tulancingo, there is no intervention or improvement on the site, not even a restoration of vandalism recently occurred in the place.
“If you saw it a year ago, if you saw it five years ago, it’s the same, that is Huapalcalco is in the same conditions“, denounced Montserrat Barragán Andrade, president of the Niebla y Tiempo association, the main promoter of the decree which was published in June of last year.
One of the oldest sites in America
Huapalcaco is one of the places oldest in America with evidence of human occupation by having cave paintings of approximately 13 thousand years old. It is considered the oldest human occupation site in Gentleman.
In its splendor, it was seat of the second toltec empirebefore migrating to Tula.
The site highlights a three body pyramid of Teotihuacan influence measuring 12 meters at the base and 8 meters high, with an altar that possibly was used to store offerings and a set of cave paintings that date, according to estimates, to approximately 13 thousand years ago, which makes this place one of the first towns in America.
Why did they vandalize Huapalcalco?
In December of last year, a conflict between the union of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the delegate in Hidalgo, Osvaldo Sternpone, caused stains on the pyramid of Huapalcalco with the phrase “Sterpone Out.”
To date, the damage has not been restored.
“Absolutely nothingeverything remains in the same conditions. It causes me a little doubt that suddenly I see that he is around a lot. INAH delegatebut we don’t see anything specific in Huapalcalco. If not minor activities they don’t do anything”.
The declaration of ZMA was given on June 5, 2023. According to the Niebla y Tiempo presidency, from that moment on there was 60 days to present a master plan for the place, but to date there is nothing.
“They have nothing because they didn’t put in any project”, he lamented.
For this reason, he continued, on August 16, a complaint was filed before the Secretariat of Public Function to denounce what he called the negligence of the INAH in his actions for the ZMA of Huapalcalco.
What actions are they demanding in Tulancingo?
Are four acts claimedamong these the non-compliance with the Conservation, Research and Dissemination Program of the archaeological zone of Huapalcalco, Tulancingo, Gentleman; omission of the process Citizen Participation which led to the Declaration as ZMA; Simulation of Citizen Participation processes for the management of Huapalcalco and the lack of criteria ordered in the decree of June 5, 2023.
“Yeah, We are very intrigued by what is happening with this institution. And what happens, what privileges does he enjoy if a presidential order is not obeyed? ¡It is a presidential decree!, the monument zone decree for Huapalcalco!
M.O.
