Oaxaca, Mexico: APPO abandons Oaxaca's zócalo to federal forces;

APPO has abandoned the center of the city and federal forces are now in the zócalo. Flavio Sosa, leader of APPO, exhorted his followers -- from a prudent distance, of course -- to bring in food and drink to help sustain the holdouts in the city's central square. However, federal police are now enjoying the repast because the holdouts hopped out.



Sosa made his entreaties over Radio APPO which is, or was, the hijacked Juarez University radio station. When the feds had had their fill of listening to radio APPO, they cut the power to the university and APPO Radio is no more. My neighbors and I had received telephoned warnings that the power would be cut and were told to prepare for the loss of electricity. Not to worry, the feds did a good job and, as far as I can tell, were able to pretty well isolate the university's power supply.

We have also been warned that when the federal police arrive to clear Avenida Universidad of the dozens of vehicles blocking it, they will use tear gas to remove the "students" from the boulevard as well as from inside the university. We have been advised to use wet towels with a splash of white vinegar to offset the effects of the tear gas. I have decided to use wet tequila with a splash of green lime instead.

I live about a half of a mile from the front entrance to the university, which my hysterical wife has decided is "2 blocks". I don't think there'll be a problem with tear gas. Especially after the fourth tequila or so. She also advised me to get the hell out of Dodge. I replied that as soon as I could gas up my jet pack, I'd be right along.

The city has been cut off from the outside world, at least by highway, since about 8:00 this morning. I doubt I'll be going anywhere soon.

On a more serious note, APPO is claiming that a 15 year-old boy has been shot to death by federal police. This is highly unlikely, though not impossible, because there have been no reports of any shots fired by federal forces. In fact, the federal police are not, for the most part, armed. Only specifically trained officers are allowed firearms as well as their commanders. That may be why they brought in the 600 military personnel. In the case that the federal police met with gunfire, the troops would have been employed to counteract that eventuality.

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TAGS: Oaxaca, Mexico, Oaxaca teachers strike