Mexico issues ultimatum to Oaxaca protesters

Yahoo News ^ | 10/28/06 | Pablo Perez

[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.

[DaoPian]

I've heard that there was a count done and the "protesters" believe there are too many of them to arrest since the local jails are already full. Tonight should be interesting. Apparently the radio has been going all day calling for weird ingredients, possibly to be used as remedies for gas attacks.

[DaoPian]

Another ultimatum.

[Tripleplay]

Let me be the first:

QUAGMIRE for the Federali's!

[seastay]

"streets, plazas, public buildings and private property" taken over "

"People are pouring out into the streets"

"15 different ethnic groups"

"too many of them to arrest since the local jails are already full"

Why is this news, isn't this is happing here on a daily basis with some of the same parties?

[RightWhale]

An ultimatum would apply where there is no legal basis such as between countries. An ultimatum contains a deadline. 'Immediate' is a poor substitute for a deadline, so this ultimatum is deficient and is not an ultimatum at all. The attack might as well begin without further ado.

[Thunder90]

APPO and ALMO continue to cause trouble. AMLO is planning nationwide strikes if the Federale's attack.

[StJacques]

"Another ultimatum."

Yes; but people are getting killed and private property, especially of small business owners, is becoming meaningless. There is also some evidence, I refer to a post on the Mark in Mexico Blog, that APPO may be telling their people not to resist the Mexican PFP if they come, there are in fact contrary quotes listed.

It looks like something is about to happen, but I've thought that before, so I'll just say it looks "more likely than in the recent past."

And I'm pinging the list with my personal note that I am keeping an eye on this.

[backtothestreets]

Tonight should be interesting.

Tonight and into the future. The PAN Party Vincent Fox and President elect Calderón belong to most closely resembles the Republican Party here in the US. It advocate free enterprise, lower taxes, smaller government, acknowledges strong ties to religion, and strong family values.

Most of the PAN political base resides in the wealthy northern industrial states of Mexico. The party has entertained ideas of the norther Mexican states leaving the Mexican union and petitioning our Congress for entry as states within our union, much as Texas did. It would require those states to write new state constitutions that conform to our US Constitution. But what I find most interesting is the 700 miles of fence recently approved by our Congress is almost exactly what would be necessary to partition what would be a new border. The oil reserves would also cut much of our reliance on oil supplies from not-so-friendly nations. Additionally, our law enforcement authorities would have complete access to the criminal elements currently plaguing the northern Mexican states.

[StJacques]

APPO has rejected the ultimatum.

This is from:

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/384257.html

I'll just post a translated excerpt of the first three paragraphs:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPO rejects ultimatum of the federal government

6:07 p.m.  The leadership of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) determined this afternoon not to handover the city of Oaxaca to the federal government, but said it was disposed to establish a negotiating table with the Governmental Secretariat [i.e. Interior Ministry]

The APPO spokesman, Florentino Lopez, informed everyone, moreover, that the organization "repudiates the entrance of the Federal Preventive Police." He added that a resolution of the leadership of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca does not permit the entrance of federal forces.

Moreover, they summoned the people to take to the streets and to fortify the barricades, mainly making a call to their sympathizers to fortify the squads in the streets which give access to the center of the city and to the university area of the city, where Radio Universidad is found, from whence information from APPO is spread. . . .

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So now we're going to wait to see what the Governmental Secretariat (Segob) says in response. If they say "no deal" then we'll know the federales mean business. But I suspect they'll respond favorably to the offer to talk.

[rpgdfmx]

I disagree with "Mark in Mexico" about 99.99 percent of the time, but give him credit for catching this. The APPO has been protesting the STATE government, and -- at least among those who are limited to that goal -- wanting federal intervention, since it does bolster their claim that the State Government is incompentent and unable to perform (Mexico is unusual in that the people can withdraw their support from the local government, forming a "municipio libre" when the local gov. is totally inept, or just doesn't met their needs. There are a few municipio libres scattered around the country, with federal representation and their own form of local government).

The APPO is not necessarily "leftist" (remember that Gov. Ruiz was elected against a left-right-center coalition candidate in a race no one ever pretended was above board and honest) -- it includes PAN and Convergencia (Social-Democrats, which would be "left" in the U.S., but centerists in the rest of the world). PRD, PAN and Convergencia politicians at the local and national level have all been pushing for a federal "dissolution" of the State government, but have been blocked by PRI, mostly out of loyalty to Gov. Ruiz. It's no different than Democrats or Republicans in the U.S. blocking censure of an obvious malfactor in the House of Reps, something we've seen again and again... though with much less immediate and life threatening implications than in Oaxaca.

[StJacques]

". . . The APPO is not necessarily "leftist" . . ."

I beg to disagree here. APPO is the far left within the political calculus that takes shape around the Oaxacan crisis. They have publicly stated that they are part of the Otra Campaña (the "Other Campaign") a term that was originally coined by the Zapatistas. Their banner is a picture of Benito Juarez redrawn to wear a guerrilla's beret with a red star on the forehead. And they have publicly called for a reversal of the July 2nd elections through mass protest, in support of Lopez Obrador, a statement they have tried to retract recently, but I must say that they let the cat out of the bag when they spoke it the first time. They are definitely the far left.

It is true that the PRI-dominated government of the State of Oaxaca which they are attempting to overthrow is a Corporate Statist-modeled PRI government, which is certainly NOT a moderate or conservative entity, but that does not change who APPO is at all.

[SauronOfMordor]

I've heard that there was a count done and the "protesters" believe there are too many of them to arrest since the local jails are already full.

They assume that Fox is interested in taking prisoners

[bboop]

Yes, I agree with St. J. The APPO is far leftist. And they have support from Chavez and Cuba, do they not? I read that this morning.

Begging to differ with you. This sounds like Al Gore's plan in Florida, blown up to the size he would have LOVED it.

[CedarDave]

It looks like Fox will stall, talk and negotiate for the next 34 days until he is out of office. He certainly doesn't want violence and death of, or by, his federal police as his last legacy. I just hope Calderon is establishing a plan to defuse the situation when he becomes president (maybe by legally getting rid of the corrupt PRI governor and calling for new elections, I don't know). But he can't let the current situation drag on for another several months after he is in office. Schools, businesses, government services, tourism and everyday life will have been disrupted, likely permanently for many in the state.

[StJacques]

"The APPO is not necessarily "leftist""

This is APPO:

[StJacques]

I have the feeling Fox still wants a negotiated solution, but I also think he knows that the locals in Oaxaca who are against APPO have had their fill and will take matters into their own hands if the federal government does nothing. That's the wild card here. There are now three players in the game.

[CedarDave]

In the background, as best I can make out: Stalin, Lenin and Marx(?) (or Trotsky?)

[armymarinemom]

Thanks for the link to Mark from Mexico. I actually put this link up on our Milblog site. Indymedia is doing there best here in the US to try to make the APPO sound peaceful.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

These folks shouldn't be worried. I'm sure Mexico has a plan to see to their safe arrival in the United States.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

I'm sure Mexico has a plan to see to their safe arrival in the United States.

You may want to do a fact check. It is American Marxists that are supporting this escapade. Wills was a flunky for MoveOn.org and Michael Moore. APPO is simply more corrupt than the elected government (which is pretty difficult to pull off). A bunch more people are going to die under those Lenin, Stalin, and Marx posters.