Mexican Federal Police Using Armored Cars to Advance Against APPO Leftists in Oaxaca (Translation)

El Universal ( Mexico City ) ^ | October 29, 2006 | Alejandro Torres, Jorge Octavio Ochoa & David Aponte ( translated by self )

[StJacques]

PFP utilizes armored cars to advance to the capital plaza of Oaxaca

The armored cars have begun throwing streams of water against members of APPO

Alejandro Torres, Jorge Octavio Ochoa & David Aponte/Correspondents
El Universal (Mexico City)
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
Sunday 29 October 2006

2:05 p.m.  At 1:52 p.m. the movement of the armored cars of the Federal Preventive Police began on the international highway.

The armored cars have begun throwing out streams of water against the protestors. This is the first occasion in which the Federal Police are using these vehicles.

Without stopping to sound their horns, the PFP attempted to break through the barrier which hundreds of locals formed [in their way].

The local inhabitants did not cede one single centimeter and they pushed against the armored cars in an unequal struggle.

Thus begins the reporting of the first confrontations with the Federal Preventive Police, which is advancing in two compact columns protected by their shields. In the first line the police are not armed, but the antiriot units who are going just behind them do have large weapons to shoot tear gas.

The situation has become chaotic and the inhabitants have ignored the repeated call made by APPO not to put up resistance.

[StJacques]

I don't have much time for an extended commentary, but as you can see, the Mexican federal government has rejected APPO's call for a renewal of negotiations for an end to the crisis.

I will try to keep an eye on this as the day goes on.

[StJacques]

A Mexican Left Watch ping for you all.

Take a look:

[ARealMothersSonForever]

The Beeb has some more pictures of these "peaceful" resistance teams.

[zeaal]

I have been reading the postings at http://www.adirondackbasecamp.com/2006/08/oaxaca-watch/#watchlinks since mid-September. This seems to be a good source of information on the ground.

[StJacques]

Thank you zeaal. I keep a "ping list" to contact interested parties when I post, which you can locate under "pings" on almost all pages at this site. If you want me to include you upon it, so that you can catch up when you arrive, I'll be happy to include you.

[JCEccles]

You know that Chavez is funding this leftist nonsense. He's Mexico's Soros.

[outdriving]

Coming soon to LA, Chicago, and cities across the U.S. It's 1968 all over again.

To paraphrase our President, "Political values don't stop at the border".

[StJacques]

Yes JCEccles, Chavez is behind a lot of the recent agitation of the Mexican Left. That's why Mexico expelled the Venezuelan Ambassador last year.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Thank you very much for the threads you have been posting.

Please add me to your list.

[outdriving]

"You know that Chavez is funding this leftist nonsense. He's Mexico's Soros."

If you are trying to say that Chavez is the cause of leftist/socialist/populist violence in Mexico, reread your history. I'm sure Chavez loves the idea, and is doing what he can for "la causa", but gimme a break.

Mexico practically invented this. They had "people's" revolutions when Russia was still a monarchy. And China had an emperor. They weren't far behind the French, for crying out loud.

Political instability and socialist rhetoric is a time honored tradition in Latin America.

Which is exactly why it is absolutely insane to import these folks in sufficient numbers to impact American politics. They will vote Republican when hell freezes over.

[JCEccles]

Chavez is in the middle of this crap. Period.

And he funded whacky moonbat Mother Sheehan's raggedy march to CNN's door yesterday.

Chavez is also trying to bribe his way onto the UN Security Council. In fact, he's got her on permanent retainer.

He's been illegally funneling money to Democratic candidates in this year's congressional races too. Count on it.

He has a lot of extra money and no shortage of vile causes to give it to.

[JCEccles]

Chavez is in the middle of this crap. Period.

And he funded whacky moonbat Mother Sheehan's raggedy march to CNN's door yesterday. In fact, he's got her on permanent retainer.

Chavez is also trying to bribe his way onto the UN Security Council.

He's been illegally funneling money to Democratic candidates in this year's congressional races too. Count on it.

He has a lot of extra money and no shortage of vile causes to give it to.

[StJacques]

outdriving, you are correct in identifying a long history of "independent" leftist agitation in Mexico, but over the past few months within our numerous "Mexican Left Watch" threads a lot of evidence has been presented to the effect that Hugo Chavez is providing support for the Mexican Left. This is why Mexico and Venezuela do not have formally-established diplomatic relations right now -- there is no Mexican Ambassador in Caracas and no Venezuelan Ambassador in Mexico City. So keep in mind that it is the official diplomatic position of the Mexican government that Hugo Chavez is interfering in Mexican internal affairs.

I'm a little busy right now, but if you want to see some of that evidence supporting JCEccles' contention that Chavez is supporting the Mexican Left, I can produce it later.

[livius]

I agree that Chavez is heavily involved. That's why I though this tidbit was amusing:

[the Federal Police broke through] the barrier which hundreds of locals formed

Most of these people would be about as "local" as I am, especially now that they've alienated even their teachers' union dupes.

[StJacques]

I've got to run for a minute, but by way of a quick update, El Universal is reporting that the Mexican Federal Preventive Police are just one block short of retaking the Zocalo capital plaza in Oaxaca City. It appears that the PFP is somewhat surprised that there are so few APPO militants in their way and they're looking around to see what might be wrong, according to the article which says (translated) "The Zocalo [capital plaza] of the city looks almost deserted, the members of APPO who were found camped out there are no longer there."

This is not what I was expecting. I'll check back in later.

[Jack Black]

I wrote up a plausible description of yesterdays events here because so many people seemed confused by them.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Not everyone in Mexico is evil. There are many people who just want to make a decent living, raise their children, and run small businesses. At some point these people must either flee the chaos that leftists, including the dead 'photojournalist', are fomenting, or fight.

I, for one, refuse to condemn them for fighting.

Spot on analysis. Our WORTHLESS US media outlets purposefully clouded the issue. Just because they could not decide which to support: corrupt Leftist Government, or more corrupt Marxists. Sadly, I was hoping that more Marxists would offer themselves as APC Trac-Lube.

[DaoPian]

Wow, those logs are enormous! I can't believe they still have trees like that there.

Honestly though, all eyes on the event is really the way to go. Have you guys seen the video taken by Will? Pretty incredible stuff. Certainly not worth his life though.

Martial law in Oaxaca? Just in time for school registration to start.

[Jack Black]

How about a link to the video.

[StJacques]

I have a short article from El Universal translated for you all. Apparently the PFP has driven the protestors out of the Zocalo capital plaza but they have not moved in to take full possession of it yet.

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Zocalo protestors dispersed with gas

The march summoned by APPO and [that of] the PFP in the plaza of Oaxaca City coincide, but neither of the sides enter

Alejandro Suverza
El Universal (Mexico City)
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
Sunday 29 October 2006

4:01 p.m.It could not be more fateful, the march summoned by the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) and the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) coinciding in the Zocalo capital plaza, where federal forces flung tear gas to disperse the people.

APPO's march had to turn around and did not enter the Zocalo, so as to avoid a confrontation with federal forces.

One front as much as another has folded. The Zocalo remains intact, neither one side nor the other being able to enter.
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So the Zocalo is evidently "unoccupied" at the moment, with both sides holding back a bit. Hmmm .... I'm guessing someone in the PFP is trying to communicate with the APPO leadership to end this thing peacefully, given that the outcome is not in doubt.