Both men were taken to the high-security Puente Grande prison outside Guadalajara.
According to a statement issued by the Movimiento Magisterial Democratico in Jalisco, the Mexican government has signed an international agreement respecting indigenous traditions, and state law recognizes peyote as a sacred plant of the Wirrarika and permits its cultivation, possession, consumption and transportation.
“It’s natural for (them) to transport this plant, since it is sacred and forms part of their spirituality,” said Florentino Beltran of Movimiento Magisterial Democrático. “They not only carried peyote but many other things that define and characterize their culture.”
Beltran continued: “The arrest is arbitrary, illegal and violates laws and accords, and their human rights.”
A senior Jalisco government official said the case would reviewed to see if the men were carrying the peyote for “cultural reasons.” Legal assistance would be offered if this were deemed to be the case, he said.