In Oaxaca, Fox Opts for the Heavy Hand

By Nancy Davies
Commentary from Oaxaca

November 2, 2006

The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO in it’s Spanish initials) called for a massive mobilization on Friday, October 27 to try to force the resignation of governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (URO). It didn’t work – yet. Instead, the Fox government sent the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) to invade Oaxaca. Since the occupation by the PFP and the Mexican Army marines, who landed October 28, violations of human rights including detentions, deaths, arrests and injuries of both Mexican citizens and foreign journalists have occurred.

The constitution states that if Governor Ruiz resigns before December 1, a new election must be held –a sure win for the PRD. If URO leaves after December 1, his secretary of internal affairs, Heliodoro Díaz Escárraga, also deeply involved in the five months of murders and abductions, will automatically be appointed in his position, thus leaving the situation just as bad, if not worse, than before. On October 30, the national senate “suggested” that URO resign. They could have declared a disappearance of powers two weeks ago, and did not, causing the present disaster. “Disappearance of powers” signifies that the state is not governable, and all three branches of government are vacated.

Despite restraint on both the side of the APPO and by the PFP, the mere fact of invading the state with the goal of repressing a popular movement made certain results inevitable. The people are angrier than ever; lawless shooting and abductions on the part of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) hired guns (possibly in coordination with the PFP) have increased; growing sections of the nation of Mexico, including the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Puebla, Quintana Roo, Michoacan, Veracruz, Guerrero and Chiapas have declared common cause with Oaxaca; the Zapatista Otra Compaña issued statements of support; foreign nations and cities including France, Venezuela, Canada, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Italy, New York and Los Angeles are condemning the Mexican government; and the popular assembly movement has gained widespread recognition, more so when an American Indymedia reporter was killed.

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