Posted on 10/28/2006 4:17:00 PM PDT by DaoPian
OAXACA, Mexico (AFP) - Mexico demanded that protesters in the southern city of Oaxaca immediately lift barricades and evacuate occupied buildings, as federal forces massed for possible action.
Some 70,000 Oaxaca teachers and supporters have been on strike in the city for five months demanding higher pay and the resignation of the state governor.
A statement from the Mexican interior ministry demanded "the immediate handover of the streets, plazas, public buildings and private property" taken over by protesters.
President Vicente Fox ordered federal police to Oaxaca on Saturday after a US cameraman for the Indymedia independent media website and two Mexicans were shot dead on Friday. Fox's office said in a statement that protesters were "undermining order and peace."
The protesters' barricades Friday had blocked main access routes to the state capital, which has a population of about 600,000.
The teacher protests began in May, and in June angry demonstrators and their supporters took over government offices demanding the resignation of state Governor Ulises Ruiz, a member of the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), whom they say has gone too far in putting down demonstrations.
Florentino Lopez, a spokesman for the federation of civic groups supporting the teachers, said "people are more angry than they are afraid.
"People are pouring out into the streets. There are some 10,000 people at all of the barricades," which he said would be defended.
US journalist and cameraman Brad Will was killed Friday after being shot in the chest in Oaxaca, according to Lopez.
Teacher Emilio Alonso was fatally shot in San Bartolo Coyotepec, 15 kilometers (10 miles) from Oaxaca, while waiting for the governor to arrive, his wife told the local Universitaria radio station.
Late Friday, authorities also announced the violence had claimed the life of a man identified as Esteban Zurita Lopez.
At least 11 people were injured by gunshots in the violence, including Mexican photographer Oswaldo Ramirez of Milenio magazine, who was shot in the leg, Lopez said. Most of the residents of Oaxaca state are native Americans of 15 different ethnic groups.
The Fox administration has little sympathy for Ruiz, a controversial governor from an opposition party.
But Ruiz has support from his powerful party, and Fox's conservative PAN party lacks a majority in Congress and needs to maintain good relations with Ruiz's party.
The city of Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded by Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century, has been largely paralyzed by the protests.
I suppose APPO and Obrador will do their best to disrupt both Fox's last days in office and Calderon's first days on the job.
What better way for Mexico to solve it's communist problem than by "encouraging" them to emigrate to America?
Obrador has nothing to do with this. V. Fox should have taken care of this last spring. He has done a pathetic job. Both Fox and Calderone are too worried about the fence to do their jobs. It is my guess and my guess only that Tony Garza, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, basically forced Fox to finally do something about Oaxaca.
That is the reason they are so worried about the fence. The fence will interfere with aLL the lefties.
Question from reporter: "How many protesters were killed?"
Answer from Mexican official: "It doesn't matter how many were killed. We would have killed as many as we had to."
V. Fox should have taken care of this last spring. He has done a pathetic job.
So true on both counts.
Both Fox and Calderone are too worried about the fence to do their jobs.
I believe they have to make the fence a top priority publicly for political reasons, however I seriously doubt it freezes their ability to take care of governmental business and address other issues.
It is my guess and my guess only that Tony Garza, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, basically forced Fox to finally do something about Oaxaca.
I doubt the US can force Fox to do anything; he certainly hasn't cooperated on issues ranging from UN votes on Iraq to immigration. I'm sure we have had some consultation with the government, but beyond that the decisions are rightfully theirs to make. And if this whole thing goes ballistic with police/military action against APPO, the US needs to have had no part of it and no ties leading back to any involvement.
Seriously, I'd be kinda disappointed if they actually accepted the ultimatum. On the other hand, vowing to fight to the death is also a bit extreme. It's a real tragedy to be killed, but I'm glad people are beginning to realize how the left activists keep pushing this movement. Too bad for Fox, he almost could have waited this out, now he to is vowing to have this solved before Dec 1st. I keep thinking of that final scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Link please!
I believe they have to make the fence a top priority publicly for political reasons,
Last week Fox or some of his officials went to the OAS and convinced 27 or 28 nations to join them against the fence. They have also threatened to take the fence issue to the UN. I believe their actions last week were somewhat more than for political reasons. They should have been dealing with Oaxaca instead of worrying about the fence.
This is the first I have read of Tony Garza speaking up regarding Oaxaca. Tis strange that something is finally happening since this is not the first killing in Oaxaca. Money talks.
I suppose it depends on how willing one is to enforce the word 'immediate'.....my defintion of immediate means 'now', this very point in time.....
Lots of links, especially during the election protests this past summer, but you have to go back a ways on FR to find them. Here is the most recent one I could find:
Lopez Obrador Attempts to "Oaxacanize" Mexico: Hoping Chaos will Force a New Election (Translation)
From that thread:
Another Sign of AMLO-APPO Identity, Difficult to Hide
Nearly 700 social and political organizations have decided to emulate the Oaxacan movement throughout the country, the Milenio article terrifyingly reports.
The myth of electoral fraud, AMLO's strategy thus transiting into the construction of the myth of ingovernability, seeing if with this one does manage to prevent the President-elect from taking possession [of his office] and forcing a new election.
In the growth of the APPOs in the Oaxacan style, AMLO seems to be finding his strongest point, but at the same time it appears that there APPO is finding its weakest point, in as much as it is strengthening its enemy, the Governor of Oaxaca, who is closing the ranks of institutional Mexico [behind him], showing an APPO used by AMLO in his scheme of making life impossible for the new government.
From which AMLO, from his perspective, has decided yesterday to plant among those who he considers his legislators an alert message against the application of the law and the use of public force against those he considers the new meat of ingovernability: the Oaxacan movement. While the Oaxacan leader Flavio Sosa himself took pains on Ezra Shabot's news program (W Radio) in a speech of affection for the law and separating [APPO] from the PRD, it is too late and unconvincing after the week's events.
Lots of links
Give me some facts not just someones opinion.
Immediately means right now, as in already happening next time the police look over there, not 30 seconds from now.
What is your point? Obrador's party (PRD) and APPO are both radical leftist organizations. I see them as both dangerous to the stability of the country and a cause for concern for its future.
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