What Now For Oaxaca?
Local analysts argue about whether the causes of the popular social movement here in Oaxaca are utter corruption and the history of political bossism by the PRI party, the effects of transnational/neoliberal policies created by NAFTA, the lack of economic development by federal and state authorities…or just plain infighting between any and all political and social groups.
In Oaxaca State, the main employer has been the government.
Outside of Oaxaca City the lost jobs are mainly in agriculture and that results in a huge migration to the US and Canada. The Isthmus is in an uproar over the wind farms. They were “rented” by intermediaries who gave the local owners next to nothing (100 pesos annually per hectare) and then turned around and rented the land to the transnationals at hefty prices. They are making grand profits while the local people are left behind.
This last weekend the APPO met, while other APPO activists are in Mexico City or the USA or Europe or somewhere, trying to get support. The biggest decision now has to do with how to approach the elections.
What will URO do to prevent the ouster of the PRI in August (state legislature) and October (mayoral) elections? PRI operatives right now are reported to be out in the small towns giving away cement or food, in other words, buying votes. The campaign to vote the PRI out will be seminal, keeping in mind that Oaxaca has never achieved a division of powers between the legislature, executive and judicial branches; and furthermore, those three branches have been dominated exclusively by the PRI. Nor has Oaxaca ever had a law of transparency so that millions of pesos are ripped off each year by caciques who enrich themselves while the towns starve for resources. If the PRI is defeated at the polls, would the Oaxaca state leislature make social changes which are essential?
Essential changes are, however, to a great part dependent on the federal government. For example, will the feds allow Oaxaca to “take back” ownership of its natural resources. A good example is the transnational occupation of the Isthmus by eolic generators which produce electricity for transnational profit -not local-, mentioned above. Another is the use of water by Coca Cola. The water to profit (and some claim that the water is not treated for minerals, etc.) is not quite free to Coke, but is in short supply for local peoples. Other concerns are mining, manufacturing of paper products (Kimberley Clark), etcetera. The use of natural resources and labor is not benefitting Oaxaqueños whom we know are the second poorest population among the Mexican states.
An important question is how to enhance the Oaxaca economy to allow everyone to survive without migrating.
A campaign is underway (once again) to lure tourists, this taking place while the newspapers are filled with photos of razor wire, attacks dogs, mounted riot police, etcetera. Not an attractive destination! Tourism is of little or no interest outside of Oaxaca City, Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. It doesn’t effect enough of the general population to be significant as a true economic engine.
What is really significant is channeling the profits from natural resources to the local economy, and allowing the local peoples to proceed with sustainable agriculture and small businesses.
Tags: Mexico, Oaxaca, Reading, World Watching And Politics
Zoe
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