 |
|
|
 News Around the Republic of Mexico | August 2006 
Striking Teachers, Affiliates Begin Hijacking Vehicles
 El Universal
| | A tourist uses his video camera as he stands near graffiti which translates as 'Tourists go home, Oaxaca is anti-capitalist' at a wall in downtown Oaxaca, 500 Km (350 miles) south of Mexico City, last week. More than a month of protests and blockades by striking teachers trying to oust the state governor are costing the city millions in tourism revenues. (AP/Alexandre Meneghini) |
Striking teachers and affiliated protesters in Oaxaca on Thursday inaugurated a new tactic in their quest to force Gov. Ulises Ruiz from office - hijacking official vehicles.
Gathering in groups of 20 to 30 people, the teachers along with members of the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) surrounded state and federal vehicles at traffic lights, forced the drivers out from behind the wheel, then drove the cars to the Zócalo.
By Thursday evening, the protesters had a collection of at least 15 vehicles lined up in front of the old Governor´s Mansion where the teachers have maintained an encampment for 72 days.
In most cases, the drivers of the official vehicles got out of their cars without incident, but at least one driver was beaten when he refused to yield the wheel after being accosted by the protesters.
The vehicles had markings identifying them as belonging to The National Statistics Institute, the Civil Protection Agency, the Oaxaca Highway Department, the federal Health Secretariat, the federal Environment Secretariat and the federal Economy Secretariat.
Elsewhere, members of APPO continued hijacking city public transport vehicles and using them to block key streets in the state capital, a tactic first employed on Wednesday.
Among the key routes being blocked by these buses is the Oaxaca City-Mexico City highway, as well as the road leading to the Channel 9 television station, a building the protesters took over on Tuesday.
As such, local commuters have suffered from heavy traffic congestion, especially in the northern part of the city. Commutes that typically took about 45 minutes now take in excess of two hours.
Although the Oaxaca City Historic Center appears to be peaceful, teachers have announced plans to begin burning vehicles - most likely the vehicles stolen on Thursday - this weekend if Gov. Ruiz does not resign.
Earlier in the day, the teachers ended their three-day-old blockade at the federal Senate building in Mexico City. The teachers first surrounded the building on Tuesday after presenting a request that the state be declared without a government and Gov. Ruiz be dismissed.
On Wednesday, the Senate accepted the petition and sent it to the Government Committee. Since the state Congress is in recess, the petition won´t be considered until the new legislature is sworn in next month.
Horacio Gómez, a spokesman for the Oaxaca teachers, said the delegation would return to Oaxaca Friday and inform the local syndicate (Section 22 of the SNTE teachers union) of the status of their petition. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us