[Cross-posted at DailyKos]
Mexican armed forces in Oaxaca - Reuters
The Mexican state of Oaxaca is on the verge of a potential bloodbath. Thousands of striking teachers and their supporters, armed with Molotov cocktails and determined to resist, may be confronted at any moment by Mexican armed forces, including marine infantry with tanks. Five teachers have already been killed by paramilitary thugs in the last few weeks, and military helicopters started buzzing over the city last night. Human rights groups and various politicians are calling for a peaceful resolution, and a majority of Mexican people are against using force in the situation. With little coverage of the situation in the U.S. media, however, the Mexican government may feel like no one outside of Mexico is paying attention. Please let them know that the world is watching.
In May of this year, 70,000 teachers went on strike in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, one of the poorest and most indigenous regions of the country. Rather than negotiate with the teachers, the present governor, Ulises Ruiz (PRI), sent in riot police armed with teargas. The teachers, however, drove back the police forces and took over the historic plaza in the capital city. They were then joined by students, the indigenous, farmers and other workers, and the strike became a general protest over the disastrous economic situation in the state and Ruiz's repressive tactics and overall corruption. Since then, the teachers and their supporters have refused to withdraw until the governor resigns. They have taken over radio stations and some government buildings. Hundreds of them are walking to Mexico City to deliver their demands in person to President Vicente Fox. Five teachers have been killed in the last few weeks by paramilitary thugs believed to be off-duty policemen.
Fox, under pressure from incoming president Felipe Calderon, has ordered federal forces to Oaxaca to resolve the situation. 
Military helicopters began buzzing over the city last night. Marine infantry, tanks, and other military vehicles have started unloading outside of the capital city. Human rights organizations and some politicians in Mexico have called for a peaceful resolution, but the federal government seems determined to end the standoff using force, possibly by this coming Wednesday. The protesters are also determined to resist and have set up barricades in the city and are armed with Molotov cocktails. It is a lethal mixture that does not bode well.
Meanwhile, there has been almost no coverage of the situation in the U.S. media, apart from a few articles by Reuters. The Mexican government may feel that no one in the U.S. is paying attention. Whatever the complexities of the situation, a bloodbath in Oaxaca won't resolve anything. Please contact your local Mexican consulate or embassy and let them know that the world is watching. Ask them (courteously) to continue working towards a peaceful resolution. There is a list below of Mexican consulates and embassies in the U.S., including email addresses for most of them. Please spend five minutes sending a short message.
If the media isn't going to cover this important story, letting the Mexican government know that they're being observed, it's up to everyone else. People from Oaxaca make up one of the largest groups of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. It's not just another news story taking place in a foreign country - it directly affects us here at home as well.
Albuquerque - Consulado de México
1610-4th Street, NW
Albuquerque N.M. 87102
(505) 247-2147/4177
(505) 247-2139/7566
Fax: (505) 842-9490
consulmexalb@qwest.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/albuquerque/
Hours: 8-5
_____________
Atlanta - Consulado General de México
2600 Apple Valley Rd.
Atlanta, Ga. 30319
(404) 266-2233
Fax: (404) 266-2309/2302
informacion@consulmexatlanta.org
http:www.consulmexatlanta.org
Hours: 8-6
______________
Austin - Consulado General de México
800 Brazos Street, Suite 330
Austin, Tx. 78701
(512) 478-2866 conm.
(512) 478-2300 directo
Fax: (512) 478-8008
austin@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/austin/
______________
Boston - Consulado General de México
20 Park Plaza, Suite 506
Boston Ma. 02116
(toll free) (877) 426-4181
Fax:(617) 695-1957
cmxboston@conversent.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/boston/
Hours: 9-5:30
______________
Brownsville - Consulado de Carrera de México
301 Mexico Blvd. Suite F-2
Brownsville Tx. 78520
(956) 542-4431/2051/5182
Fax: (956) 542-7267
conbrownsville@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/brownsville
Hours: 8:30-5
______________
Chicago - Consulado General de México
204 S. Ashland Ave
Chicago Illinois., 60607
(312) 855-1380
Fax: (312) 491-9072
Info@consulmexchicago.com
http://www.consulmexchicago.com/
______________
Dallas - Consulado General de México
8855 N. Stemmons Freeway
Dallas Tx., 75247
(214) 252-9250/52/53
Fax:(214) 630-3511
info@consulmexdallas.com
http://www.sre.gob.mx/dallas/
______________
Denver - Consulado General de México
5350 Leetsdale Drive, Suite 100,
Denver, Colorado 80246
(303) 331-1110/1112
Fax: (303) 331-1872
nuevasede@consulmex-denver.com
http://www.consulmex-denver.com/
Hours: 8-5
______________
Detroit - Consulado de Carrera de México
The Penobscot Building,
645 Griswold Avenue, 17th. Floor, Suite 830
Detroit Mi., 48226
(313) 964-4515/4532/4534
Fax:(313) 964-4522
consulmexmichoh@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/detroit/
Hours: 8-5
______________
El Paso - Consulado General de México
910 East San Antonio Avenue
El Paso Tx. 79901
P.O. Box 812, 79945
(915) 533-5714 544-6177
Fax:(915) 532-7163
conepaso@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/elpaso/
______________
Fresno - Consulado de Carrera de México
2409 Merced Street
Fresno Ca., 93721
(559) 233-3065
Fax: (559) 233-6156
consulado@consulmexfresno.net
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/con_fresno/
Hours: 8-4
______________
Houston - Consulado General de México
4507 San Jacinto Street
Houston TX. 77004
(713) 271-6800/ 995-1225-0218
Fax: (713) 271-3201, 772-1229
mailhou@wt.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/houston/
______________
Indianaoplis - Consulado de Carrera de México
39 West Jackson Place, Suite 103
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 951-0005/4174/1044
Fax: (317) 951-0006/4176
conindianapolis@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/indianapolis/
Hours: 9-2
______________
Kansas City - Consulado de Carrera de México
1600 Baltimore Ave., Suite 100,
Kansas City, Missouri, 64108
(816) 556-0800 al 03
Fax: (816) 556-0900
conkansas@sre.gob.mx
Hours: 9-5
______________
Los Angeles - Consulado General de México
2401 West 6th. Street
Los Ángeles, Ca. 90057
(213) 351-6800 al 07 conm.
Fax: (213) 383-7306
lanmex01@worldnet.att.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/
______________
Las Vegas - Consulado de Carrera de México
330 S. Fourth St.
Las Vegas, NV. 89101
(702) 383-0623
Fax:(702) 383-0683
conlvegas@sre.gob.mx
http:www.sre.gob.mx/lasvegas
______________
Miami - Consulado General de México
5975 SW 72 Street (Sunset Drive) Suite 101,
Miami Fl. 33143
(786) 268-4900 conm.
Fax: (786) 268-4895
conmxmia@bellsouth.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/miami/
______________
New York - Consulado General de México
27 East 39th. Street
New York, N.Y., 10016
(212) 217-6400
Fax: (212) 217-6493
webmaster@consulmexny.org
http://www.consulmexny.org/
______________
Omaha - Consulado General de México
3552 Dodge Street
Omaha, Nebraska, 68131-3210
(402) 595-1841 AL 44
Fax: (402) 595-1845
consulmexomaha@qwest.net
______________
Orlando - Consulado General de México
100 West Washington Street
Orlando, Fl., 32801-2315
(407) 422-0514
Fax: (407) 422-9633
consulado@conorlando.net
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/orlando/
Hours: 8:30-5:30
______________
Philadelphia - Consulado de Carrera de México
111 South Independence Mall East, Suite 310,
The Bourse Building,
Philadelphia Pa., 19106
(215) 922-4262
Fax:(215) 923-7281
buzon@consulmexphila
http://www.sre.gob.mx/filadelfia/
Hours: 8:30-5:30
______________
Phoenix - Consulado General de México
1990 West Camelback Rd Suite 110,
Phoenix Az. 85015
(602) 242-7398 conm. 249-2363, 433-2294, 242-8569
Fax: (602) 242-2957
contactenos@consulmexphoenix.phxcoxmail.com
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/phoenix/
______________
Portland - Consulado de Carrera de México
1234 South West Morrison Street,
Portland, Oregon, 97205
(503) 274-1442/ 478-0435
Fax: (503) 274-1540
portland@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/portland/
Hours: 8-5
______________
Raleigh - Consulado de Carrera de México
336 E Six Forks Rd
Raleigh, N.C. 27609
(919) 754-0046
Fax: (919) 754-1729
conraleigh@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/raleigh/
______________
Sacramento - Consulado General de México
1010 8th. Street
Sacramento Ca. 95814
(916) 441-3287/3065
Fax: (916) 441-3147
sacramento@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sacramento/
______________
San Antonio - Consulado General de México
127 Navarro Street
San Antonio Tx., 78205
(210) 227-9145/9156
Fax: (210) 227-1817
info@consulmexsat.org
http://www.consulmexsat.org/
Hours: 8:30-2 and 3-5
______________
San Bernadino - Consulado de Carrera de México
293 North "D" Street,
San Bernardino Ca., 92401
(909) 889-9836-37/889-9808
Fax: (909) 889-8285
conmexbe@hotmail.com
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanbernardino/
Hours: 8-2 (8-5 w)
______________
San Diego - Consulado General de México
1549 India St.
San Diego Ca., 92101
(619) 231-8414 con 10 líneas
Fax: (619) 231-4802/3561
info@consulmexsd.org
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sandiego/
______________
Seattle - Consulado de Carrera de México
2132 Third Avenue
Seattle Wa., 98121
(206) 448-3526/6819/8971
Fax: (206) 448-4771
comexico1@uswest.net
conseattle@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/seattle/
______________
San Francisco - Consulado General de México
532 Folsom Street
San Francisco Ca., 94105
(415) 354-1700/ 354-1701
Fax: (415) 495-3971
consfrancisco@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/
______________
San José - Consulado General de México
540 North First Street
San José, Ca., 95112
(408) 294-3414/15
Fax: (408) 294-4506
consjose@sre.gob.mx
http://www.consulmexsj.com/
______________
Salt Lake City - Consulado de Carrera de México
155 South 300 West, 3rd. Floor
Salt Lake City Ut., 84101
(801) 521-8502/03 328-0620
Fax: (801) 521-0534
consuladoslc@consulmexslc.org
http://www.consulmexslc.org/
______________
Saint Paul - Consulado de Carrera de México
797 East 7th Street
Saint Paul, Minn., 55106
(651) 771-5494 conm.
Fax: (651) 772-4419
No email given
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/saintpaul/
______________
Tucson - Consulado de Carrera de México
553 South Stone Avenue
Tucson Az., 85701
(520) 882-5595/6 791-2977 623-0146
Fax: (520) 882-8959
contucmx@sre.gob.mx
_______________
Washington, D.C. - Seccion Consular de la Embajada de México
2827 16th. Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20009-4260
(202) 736-1000/02
Fax: (202) 234-4498
consulwas@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/washington/
4 comments:
Great post, Guillaume.
Also kudos for posting on dailykos -- a good example of doing something as opposed to just complaining about something.
I've been reading about this since your last post. I found stories on both sides of the issue, with Archbishop Jose Chavez Botello treading a line down the middle, opposing vilonce.
In a press conference, which he offered after officiating at the Sunday
mass in the Cathedral, the bishop of the Catholic Church in Oaxaca said
that the marches indicate a serious problem of social health because
behind them there are injustices, illegality, corruption and also
politicization. He highlighted that the injustices, the illegality, the
corruption and the impunity will never be defeated, neither with force nor
by violence, but only with the honesty, the justice and the truth. The
government reiteration of a desire to dialogue seems to be sheer rhetoric,
but the church is on the side of the people.
- link
Thanks for briging the subject ot our attention.
Liam, though I'm not positive, I think that DailyKos may have a slightly larger readership than this blog. Not much, mind you, and your loyal support counts for 1,000 readers, but I thought it might be a good place to post.
Crystal, thanks for the info on the Church in Oaxaca. I had been wondering how various Catholic stood on the situation there. Archbishop Ruiz had been very supportive in Chiapas before he retired, and the Zapatista movement had a strong indigenous Catholic element. Unfortunately, the hierarchy in Mexico has become increasingly right-wing since then, from what I've heard.
What's the latest on this, Guillame? What's happening now?
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