ANNOUNCEMENT

The U.S. Social Forum (USSF) takes place in San Jose, CA from June 24-28. The Chiapas Support Committee will have an information and artesanía table there and will also lead a workshop, which is tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 26 at 10:30 AM. We are participating in the USSF jointly with the Sacramento Solidarity Coalition. We invite everyone to attend the USSF and to join us!


A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON MEXICO ISSUES


1. Zapatistas - On May 2, the EZLN held a homage to Compañero Galeano, the teacher that paramilitaries murdered one year ago, and to Compañero Luis Villoro in Oventik. From May 3 to 8, the EZLN held a seminar on "Critical thought versus the capitalist hydra," which more than 1500 people attended. The EZLN gave a number of talks explaining their thinking on the issues facing Mexico and the world. We issued a guide to their "words" on our blog and we are also posting some of the talks given by the invited guest speakers.


2. Mexico's Mid-term Elections - On Sunday, June 7, Mexico held midterm elections to renew delegates to the federal Congress. There were also elections for local offices in some states. Results show that the PRI will control a majority of the seats in Congress. Some disputed seats remain to be resolved, but it won't change the general outcome. The campaign period was characterized by protests, violence, burning of party propaganda and election materials and militarization of the electoral process. Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas experienced both militant protests and militarization. Teachers led the local protests and maintained strikes and an encampment in Mexico City. They continue to militantly oppose the education "reform." In Tlapa, police killed Antonio Vivar Díaz, a student with a young wife and daughter, and a leader in the Guerrero Popular Movement (MPG). Tlapa, Guerrero was militarized and occupied by federal police during the election.In several states entrances and exits to Pemex facilities were blocked. At least 100 people were arrested and detained in Oaxaca alone, and 25 of them remain in prison. Hundreds of criminal actions are still being processed. In Guerrero, leaders of the teachers movement (Ceteg) and the MPG denounced the intense repression by the Mexican Army, Navy and Federal Police. In Chiapas, ministerial police arbitrarily arrested 11 people in Ocosingo, where teachers were protesting. All have now been released.


3. Ayotzinapa - Relatives of the 43 disappeared students have sent delegations to the United States, Canada, Europe and South America to give the peoples of those countries an opportunity to hear their story. Those that have remained in Mexico are still protesting with students from Ayotzinapa and social organizations in Guerrero, including the teachers organizations. Felipe de la Cruz, spokesperson for the parents of the 43, revealed very recently that he now receives death threats on his cell phone and threats against his family in order to deter the fight to find their disappeared sons. So far, the Mexican government has not given permission for experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to interview military personnel belonging to the 27th Infantry Battalion in Iguala, Guerrero about the Ayotzinapa enforced disappearances.


4. Chiapas Teachers and Local elections - Chiapas will hold local elections on July 19 for delegates to the state congress and for members of the municipal (county) councils. Chiapas teachers remain on strike in protest of the education "reform" and plan to boycott elections. Public schools in Chiapas are closed.