BootsnAll Travel Network



Oaxaca Update

Saturday, July 21, 2007 2pm

“Urgent” bulletins flying over the internet warn of the governor’s plan to incite a violent showdown (see bulletin below, in Spanish) around Monday July 23, of the Guelaguetza, now being referred to as the “guerraguetza”.

The facts we observe on the ground:

* military or state police (dark blue uniforms) occupying Fortin are practicing military exercises.

*the zocalo is heavily occupied by PRI vendors, Noticias says 700 puestos.

*Noticias says outlying roads are all blocked with military checkpoints through which no-one “suspicious” can pass.

*The governor is bussing in people from the rural areas (paying them to attend the commercial Guelaguetza), and advising government employees to not bring their children.

*the APPO, the teachers, the civil society organizations and even Dra Bertha Muños are sending messages warning of the government’s intention to provoke an excuse for military crackdown.

* the teachers assembly scheduled for Saturday afternoon has been cancelled to avoid further arbitrary arrests (I gather at least two “leaders” have been arrested and warrants are out)

Another expat 6:40pm: “Word on the street is that two “symbolic” marches will take place as the “boycott” is too dangerous. On Sunday July 22 the march will go from Cinco Señores to the zocalo at 10:00 natural time, 11:00 AM daylight savings time. On Monday, a “megamarch” will go from the office of the Procuradura to the zocalo, also 10:00 natural time/ 11:00 daylight savings.

I don’t know where the office of the Procuradora is??? but the idea is to avoid Fortin and to avoid any provocation.”

According to Víctor Manuel Gómez Ramírez of MAS, (editorial in Noticias) the leaders of the teachers popular movement are taking the movement into a dead end. He sees a lack of coherent policy and lack of such a policy’s enforceability (I believe he means a policy of confrontation). The State Council of the APPO has been unable to prevent people from falling into provocations. (Note: I take this to mean how can APPO keep from falling into the hands of provacateurs.)

“…it doesn’t take a profound analysis, says Ramirez in the Noticias, to understand that the puppet governors in the service of the bourgeoisie, whether state or national, always use all (possible) resources to destroy whatever puts their interests at risk. Today Felipe Calderón falls back on mafia PRI-PAN-PANAL and the repressive (police) bodies and the army, to try to maintain himself in the presidency. That shows his weakness. With this assistance, he tries to continue imposing the policies of neoliberalism, leaning toward the continuing exploitation of the working population and sacking and exploiting our cultural and energy resources.

Ulises Ruiz and his (dis)government are very weak and incapable of restoring the apparent tranquility in which we lived in past years. As boss (cacique) of the people, aided by the PAN and the PRD deputies, he is disposed to continue confronting society without concerning himself with consequences. In his small brain he only ends up serving his friends, the grand national and foreign investors, who like vultures come to break open the piñata called the Plan Puebla Panamá. …

The people have taken an enormous leap in consciousness to understand and confirm who the historic enemy is, but it is not enough to change the situation in our state…. The first step is democratic organization everyplace where conditions exist, to overcome dependence on the opportunist pseudo-leaders and organize coordinators or councils of representatives which will truly permit decisions to come up from the base. The next step is the political program, which should be made collectively and should consider everything from the most immediate needs to the most advanced. In this we should inform ourselves how we are going to get potable water…”

He concludes that democratic spaces should be frank and open to all ideas. But the increased repression does not strengthen the movement., he says, because it gives the government a chance to reposition itself.

The zocalo has been packed with people yesterday and today. Most look like teachers. Very many puestos (vending stalls). I saw just a few tourists, and on Alcala…a few hundred were waiting ( around 6:30) for the official calenda (for the commercial Gueleguetza) to go from Llano to Fortin. It’s raining.”



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