Stupid question about what's happening in Mexico

[garybeck]

Sorry, I'm buried in our own election issues and I wonder if someone could explain one thing about what's happening in Oaxaca.

The recent stories I read about the protests seem to say that it's all about Governor Ruiz's curruption and the people just want him to resign.

But not long ago they had a national election there and there was a lot of protesting about the legitimacy of the election.

Did the election protests end, and what's happening now is unrelated?

[Sapere aude]

1. There was a teacher strike. The people went out into the streets.

An American journalist from NYIndemedia was killed along with another American. Fox called in the army to take control of the city. I heard that the incoming president does not want to deal with this so he is asking Fox to take care of it.

That is what I have heard but I'm sure I don't have exact facts.

[garybeck]

2. so all this is unrelated to the election controversy?

last i heard Obrador, who "lost" the election was setting up an alternative government, and not long ago there were still big protests going on in Mexico City.

I'm trying to figure out if the protests about the election in Mexico City are unrelated to what's going on in Oaxaca now, or if it's all part of the same thing, and whether or not the protests about the election are still continuting.

[rumpel]

3. Here from his site:

http://www.amlo.org.mx/noticias/discursos.html?id=55460

It seems to say the governor Ruiz was not elected - Someone who speaks Spanish needs to tranlate (transduce por favor)

A la opinión pública nacional:
Al pueblo de Oaxaca:


Nada bueno se logrará con la toma de la ciudad de Oaxaca por parte de la Policía Federal Preventiva.

El punto de partida para la búsqueda de una solución de fondo al conflicto en Oaxaca pasa, necesariamente, por la renuncia del gobernador Ulises Ruiz.

Es inaceptable e indignante que, por mantener los acuerdos políticos nacionales entre el PAN y las cúpulas del PRI —que se reafirmaron con el fraude electoral del 2 de julio pasado y con la imposición de Felipe Calderón— se siga sosteniendo a un gobernador antipopular, siniestro y represor, a costa del sufrimiento de los oaxaqueños.

Es evidente que la mayoría de los oaxaqueños no quiere al gobernador Ulises Ruiz. Baste recordar que, en las pasadas elecciones del 2 de julio, nosotros obtuvimos en ese estado 191 mil 719 votos de ventaja con relación al PRI y 391 mil 820 votos más que el candidato presidencial de la derecha.

Esta votación no sólo expresó la adhesión de la mayoría de los oaxaqueños al Proyecto Alternativo de Nación que postulamos sino que significó, en la práctica, una especie de plebiscito en contra del gobernador Ulises Ruiz.

Por lo anterior, es a todas luces una barbaridad querer mantener, con el uso de la fuerza y la opresión y con el dolor que ello implica, a un gobernador repudiado por los oaxaqueños. Ni en la tierra de Juárez ni en ninguna otra parte debe tolerarse semejante atrocidad.


Andrés Manuel López Obrador
México, Distrito Federal, 28 de octubre de 2006

[rumpel]

4. btw CNN from the London desk reported

about Brad's death - and added:
(paraphrasing)
the US State Department surprisingly announced that they "hope" of an investigation rather than insisting on one.

and that the US government has complete faith in the newly "elected government" of Mexico.

Yeah right! figures - dirty hands

It seems the London desk has little more freedom than their US counterparts that they even bring Brad's murder. They showed the pictures and video posted on the net, but hid the face of the shooter...

[Wiley50]

5. Gary, ulitimately, it's all interrelated

in that it's about poor repressed people demanding to be free
and have a fair share of the pie. Although there are a handful of billionaires
and many millionaires in Mexico, over half the people live in poverty

There are three main political parties in Mexico, The PRI, the PAN and the PRD.

The PRI party ruled Mexico for decades, a virtual one party rule,
enforced by corruption, fraud and the bullet.

The PAN party, similar to our Republican party, is a party of the wealthy.
Fox is PAN and his election broke the rule of the PRI party, although,
the PRI party still holds rule in many state and local governments.
Calderone, who stole the election this summer is PAN party.

The PRD party, a populist party, is supported by the poor and working poor,
over half of the population. Olbrador,the guy who was cheated out of the presidency,
will be inaugurated in a parralel govt on Nov 20. The PRD party also has a significant
membership in the national congress.

The Governor of Oaxaca is PRI and has a corrupt administration that uses the municipal
police force as his private paramilitary army. It has ruled by murdering or Dissapearing it's critics.
The shootings in Oaxaca, including the murder of Indymedia videographer Brad Will have been
done by these minions of the governor.

he teacher's strike began in May, something they have done every May for 20 years
and was always settled with minor raises, until this time.
What changed things is that in June the governor sent in his paramilitaries to break up the strike with tear gas and bullets.
This pissed off the general population who rallied around the teachers to drive out the governor and his henchmen.

The people formed a resistance called the APPO who took over the city for the last five months.
They took over several radio and TV stations and began putting their own govt together on
direct democratic principals. They are demanding that the governor resign and believe
, for very good reasons, that he was elected by fraud in 2004.

The governors goons have been taking pot shots at the APPO for months with several dead
and many wounded. But, when they killed an american videographeer it pushed Fox
to send in federal forces to restore order. That's where it stands now.

But, Fox fucked up in that many states are now joining in on the revolt
and by Nov 20, when Obrador forms his parralel govt
a general civil war is very likely
and if the people rise up ther's no way that the feds can put it down.
Unless the US sends troops, which would rally all of the mexican nationals living in the US

I hope I've helped Gary. I really think this situation bears us watching

[garybeck]

6. thank you, that's EXACTLY what I was looking for.

and I figured the various protests were not unrelated. I can't say I'm glad it looks like they may have a civil war about this, but I am glad to see a candidate that doesn't accept stolen elections.

[Wiley50]

7. You're very welcome. Glad to help

Although I often feel that when a govt is fucked beyond repair
a civil war is nessecart
per our Declaration of Independence

I think if Mexico has a civil war
It will set off our own
much long overdue