Hispanic American Village @ Blogspot: Reporting from the ground in Oaxaca

Reporting from the ground in Oaxaca

Yet another outcropping of Mexican indignance has been fomenting since September in the southern city of Oaxaca. 1994 saw the burgeoning of a mass movement of the impoverished indigenous in the state of Chiapas--the Zapatista rebellion--and, earlier this year, supporters of presidential candidate, Manuel Lopez-Obrador, virtually shut down the capital, Mexico City, protesting shady election results denying Lopez-Obrador victory.
Favored by tourists, perhaps for its gracefulness and surrounding ancient Zapotecan ruins of Mitla and Monte Alban, I’ve loved Oaxaca for the way the indigenous seem both to command and harmonize with its imposing colonial vestiges. And, I love the market, endless as a galaxy, where, many moons ago, I was given the definitive lesson in ugly Americanism. I was attempting to steal a photo of an indigenous woman, resplendent in a signature red and white striped huipil, her daughter on her lap as they sat on a cloth on the ground selling lusciously ripened red tomatoes piled in pyramids. But she proved a lot faster then both me and my shutter, grabbing an especially ripe orb in her hand and hurling it towards me in insult and pride. The tomato missed its mark, but the lesson hit home.

Briefly, organized resistance began in June when teachers, stymied in contract negotiations with the state, were joined in the street by students, workers and organized groups of the majority indigenous population, adding to their demands the removal of the governor, Ulises Ruiz, on grounds of corruption, strong-arm and stonewalling tactics. Ruiz has refused to negotiate, to meet with any of the many leaders of the protesters and is in virtual hiding, holed up somewhere in a hotel. The protesting groups and individuals have loosely affiliated as the Popular Assembly of the Oaxacan People, the APPO.

Tragically, at least 6 people have been killed thus far, including the North American independent journalist, Brad Will, shot, along with 3 Mexicans as paramilitary teams streamed in from the capital, with plainclothes and uniformed forces aligned with Governor Luiz also firing on the demonstrators. Reports from the ground that day feared a massacre, similar to the shooting of students and workers in Mexico City in October, 1968, that left upwards of 300 people dead.

On Nov. 6, three bombings in the capital linked to groups supporting the Oaxaca protesters damaged a bank, the office of Ruiz’ political party (the Partido Revolucionario Institucional),and the federal elections board, which had declared Ruiz governor and PRI candidate Felipe Calderon president on July 2, denying Lopez-Obrador victory.

The protests will continue until the resignation of Ruiz, who has expressed no intention of renouncing his term which would continue until 2010. And we will try our best to bring you reports from the ground as the situation demands.

Friend and peripatetic painter/installation artist as well as social activist, Francisco Alvarado-Juarez, has been in residence in Oaxaca, since September, 2005, working and traveling to various cities on a Fulbright scholarship. Although the term of the Fulbright ended this past July, Francisco remains in Oaxaca, working and chronicling via stunning photographs, the events of the last few months. Francisco was born in Honduras; he came to the States to study art at the age of 14. He’s based in New York, but travels throughout the Latin world, the US and Spain, working and exhibiting his artwork.

With one, the eye of an artist and the other, the vision of an activist, his visuals are a comprehensive, stirring documentary. He has offered us his photos and commentary, written in Spanish, which he’s allowed me to translate.

The photodocumentation is in chronological order, beginning with Francisco’s post of Oct. 29.

Estimados Amigos
Oaxaca está siendo de nuevo agredida. Esta vez por la Policía Federal Preventiva y el ejército. Ya han desalojado una buena parte del Centro Histórico. Hace menos de una hora la marcha pacífica multitudinaria del pueblo de Oaxaca llegaba al Zócalo de la ciudad y fue recibida con gases lacrimógenos.

Esta noche puede ser muy violenta.

Dear Friends,
Oaxaca is being attacked again. This time by the PFP—Federal anti-riot force—and the army. A great part of the city’s Historic District has been evacuated. Less than an hour ago the peaceful mass demonstration of the Oaxacan people reached the Main Square and were greeted by tear gas.

Tonight may be very violent.