Federal police attack Oaxaca, Mexico, movement

Oaxaca, Mexico, Gov. Ulises Ruíz Ortiz has ordered that the federal police (PFP) attack the teachers and other popular organizations that have been struggling since May to depose the governor. After battles throughout the day of Nov. 25—the popular organizations fought back—140 people were wounded, 100 arrested and three killed, according to the Mexican daily La Jornada. (Nov. 26)

The battles broke out after the seventh “megamarch” of thousands of people on the south of Oaxaca City ended, and some of the marchers attempted to surround the PFP with a circle of demonstrators. Police, who have been occupying the central square since they drove out popular organizations, attacked with tear gas and thrown stones. In some places they fired bullets at protesters, who fought back as best they could with homemade weapons and shields, some liberated from the PFP earlier.

The struggle began with a teachers’ strike last spring and grew into a general demand that the governor resign. In the course of the summer, the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO)—made up of hundreds of local, community and Indigenous groups with the teachers’ union at its core—began to act as an alternative government of the state. APPO not only had more popular loyalty in Oaxaca than Gov. Ruíz, it drew support from progressives all over Mexico and throughout the world. Some of the megamarches drew hundreds of thousands of participants. Oaxaca is one of Mexico’s poorest states and has the highest proportion of Indigenous peoples in its population.

Though the governor had lost popular support, Ruíz was still in control of the armed police and had the right-wing federal government—which narrowly won an election through fraud in July—to back him up. On Nov. 26, Ruíz paraded through Oaxaca City surrounded by armed police and boasted that he had won the battle with APPO.

Dozens of APPO activists have been arrested since Nov. 25. Late reports were that the PFP was threatening an attack on the Benito Juárez University, where some APPO activists had taken refuge. (Prensa Latina, Nov. 28) There was no sign however, that the people had conceded victory to Ruíz. The struggle continues.

—John Catalinotto