Oaxaca, Mexico: President Fox and his cabinet draw the line

In two speeches yesterday by Mexico's President Vicente Fox and by his Secretary of Government, Carlos Abascal, firm threats were made to end the anarchy gripping the state of Oaxaca. They have now openly threatened to impose a "peaceful occupation", what we would call martial law.

First, Fox:

"There still exists the possibility of some negotiated settlement and we are going to insist upon it, that some agreement is reached and that things are resolved in this manner.

If not, then lawbreaking must always be confronted and must be punished."

Then later, Abascal was even more to the point:

"If neither Ruiz (the governor) nor APPO (the anarchists) trust in the other's structures to guarantee security to the Oaxacan citizens, then, naturally, we (the federal government) could occupy the state capitol in a peaceful manner, putting a stop to the aggression by both parties and giving the citizens space to carry on with their daily lives with a sense of security."

Abascal responded to questions about the military presence outside the city and the frequent overflights by military aircraft. He said that it was only responsible to compare the members of APPO with criminals who had taken over someone's home by force.

"Suppose a group of attackers assaulted and took over my home. Then the occupiers heard sirens and helicopters outside. Then suppose they began to complain about being held hostage inside my home.

By God! We're going to put things here in their proper context

Those who are the criminals here are those who have taken over my home, those who have held hostage one million three hundred thousand schoolchildren as well as the citizens of Oaxaca. So it seems infantile to me to complain, 'Oh! We (APPO) are being held hostage.'"

News sources are claiming that the plans for the occupation of Oaxaca by federal forces have already been set and are awaiting orders by the president to move into the city.

See the next post for several reasons why I am sure that this is now going to happen.


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TAGS: Oaxaca, Mexico, Oaxaca teachers' strike, APPO, SNTE, anarchy, martial law