An Interview with the Undersecretary

Q: What are the legal ramifications of U.S. Government personnel being involved in torture?

A: I think you have to qualify "torture." Or better, quantify "torture." How many genitals? How many anal penetrations? What were the decibel levels of the screams? How fast was the train traveling when we saw the sunset over the secret detention center?

Q: Can you tell us how long, exactly, U.S. forces will be in Iraq?

A: How long is anyone in Iraq? How long were the Persians in Iraq? The Brits? How long have the Sufis been in Iraq? Why do they do that weird dancing thing? Are they still doing it in Baghdad? In the Anbar Province? If so, how do we stop them? As long as there are Iraqis in Iraq, I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions about staying the course, fighting the fight, and basting the chicken.

Q: How many American troops will make up the residual force and what will be their specific mission?

A: Have you noticed the layer of dust on this window sill? Why doesn't anyone clean this place? Don't worry about the residual force. The residual force will consist of four American troops: John, Paul, George and Ringo. Their mission will entail various security functions, training Iraqis in food handling, defusing that cute little redhead in CENTCOM, recording two new albums and, God willing and the creek don't spin, cleaning this damn room.

Q: What about Afghanistan? How many American troops will be stationed there and for what length of time?

A: As long as it takes to gut the pig, root out the poets, pickle the pretties, and negotiate poppy production and heroin distribution between the locals and Citigroup.

Q: How would you characterize our relationship with Pakistan at the moment?

A: It's not good. We sent roses and a box of chocolates, but she still hung up on us. Christ, anybody can drink too much and get a little out of control. Just because I shoot up a wedding party doesn't mean she's got the right to change the lock on the damn door, you know what I mean? It's not like those Pak kids could speak English anyhow. But we'll work something out. She like-y the money. And we've got syndication rights for Seinfeld to sweeten the pot.

Q: Does Iran have the capability to produce nuclear weapons? If so, what position will the administration take?

A: Whatever position makes us last longer and brings her more pleasure. Here, smell this. Does this smell like turpentine to you? I thought it was cologne, but I may have grabbed the wrong bottle. Something's not right.

Q: China is the largest overseas holder of U.S. Treasury bonds and has bought over $1 trillion dollars in American debt. How does this affect our country's policies towards China? Will the administration be able to pursue a human rights agenda for Tibet, for example?

A: Have you ever tried paddle-roasted barbecued baby pig? That's really something. But you've got it all bass-ackwards. We're the stray dogs to China's porcelain poodle. Whose piss do you think is gonna be harder to get out of the rug? Our output in needles alone could fill Beijing ten times over. And, don't forget, we have the Boy Scouts. Mr. Bubble. Bobble-heads. The administration will continue to bail out AIG and Citigroup, and I think those CEOs could teach China a thing or two, don't you? No matter how much we screw up and destroy our economy, no matter how bad our test scores, or how low our spinach quotient, Uncle Bam's gonna bail us out. You see where I'm going with this? Now I'm all juicy and craving that paddle-roasted pig.

Q: Can you talk about Palestine and Israel and the administration's road map in the Middle East?

A: It's all pretty high tech and, to be honest, a little above my pay grade. But we've got this super-duper Middle Eastern GPS system we're going to implement. Produced by an Israeli company that started with seed money from us back when we thought we had money. It can pinpoint a baby in Gaza from outer space and resolve the situation remotely if necessary. And then there's our major infrastructure stimulus package. We think a two-state solution is the most feasible option, but it's going to requite some heavy lifting. Building a new Palestinian state under the sand, or - the Atlantis scenario - moving them to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, ain't gonna be cheap. No sir. But think of all the new green jobs. Green money. Green cars. Green hair and lashes. Lots of exciting green technology to eliminate those babies. I shouldn't say "eliminate." Relocate those babies under the sand.

Q: The U.S. Joint Forces Command recently reported that Mexico and Pakistan were at risk of "rapid and sudden collapse." What is the United States doing about the escalating drug violence in Mexico and the security threat it poses on our very own doorstep?

A: We will be negotiating between the locals and Citigroup over production and distribution. Consumption levels are still good, despite our collapsing economy. But as long as there are Mexicans in Mexico, I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions about staying the course, fighting the fight, and basting the pocho. We didn't invent the border, the border invented us. Maybe we can get some Mexicans to clean this damn room. I do like me a mole poblano, though. Look, I'm due at Langley for a debriefing and the office potluck, and I have to change out of these clothes first. Without splitting hairs or tweaking the turkey, let me just say that you worry too much.

Have some of these pills. We got plenty more where those came from.


[(thought dream 030409)]

Autumn in Oaxaca

A surreal experience on Thursday afternoon. Stony Brook University was gorgeously autumnal, trees flaming into bright reds or yellows, with fallen leaves crackling underfoot. The day was sunny, and the campus unusually peaceful. All Souls Day. A time for reflection and meditation. I sat in my office, sipping coffee and trying to work as I listened to a live radio broadcast (via the internet) of all-out war in Oaxaca, as Federal forces attacked the State University with tear gas, small tanks and high-powered water cannons laced with pepper gas. The protesters responded with Molotov cocktails, firework rockets, and large stones. It sounded like Paris in May 1968. I learned that Coca-Cola not only functions as a cold, carbonated beverage but also as a remedy for tear-gassed eyes. Students were throwing bags of shit, oil and other material onto the windshields of the tanks so the drivers couldn’t see. Vehicles were burning. People were getting injured. I went downstairs to the quiet Reference Room and worked at the desk for a while, reading English transcriptions of the radio broadcasts now and then to keep up with the action. I stared at the Stony Brook students working so diligently on their papers, as other students were fighting in the streets. One more bizarre juxtaposition in the new global village.













After six or seven hours of battle, the students, aided by professors and residents of Oaxaca, succeeded in driving back the Federal police. But what were the Federales doing there to begin with? It is against the law in Mexico for police or Federal troops to enter a "Universidad Autonoma" without explicit permission from the Rector. The next day, the government claimed that the troops were only trying to clear the barricades from the street outside the university. (The barricades went back up that same evening.) But an unidentified source within the administration said that the troops had been trying to get the University administration to let them in. Instead, the Rector stood on the front lines with the students so the troops could not advance through the gates, making him a hero to the students, at least for the moment. The government went on to say that there were no winners or losers in the battle, which I took as idiot-politician-speak for “We just got our asses kicked.”












The reason the Federal Police Force attacked the university was because many students and protesters had taken refuge on campus after being driven out of the main plaza in Oaxaca the previous weekend, when President Fox finally sent in troops to "bring peace" to Oaxaca. Also, students were doing the unthinkable - actually broadcasting from Radio Universidad in favor of the protest movement. They let people know where to go, what equipment to bring, how to deal with tear gas, etc. And they broadcast to the entire world. The Federal police wanted to shut them down. It’s the only media left to the protesters. But the attack was an enormous mistake, if you ask me. It made the government look as violent and stupid as everyone suspected. It has emboldened the students and the protesters. Now the conflict has started to spread. Thanks to instant communication in the internet age, at the same time that the students were fighting the troops in the streets of Oaxaca, their compañeros in Mexcio City immediately marched to the administration building of the Federal Police and blocked off major traffic arteries in the area. The Zapatistas sent out an emergency call to their supporters, who responded by blocking roadways in Chiapas and in the north of Mexico. And today I read: Leftists from across Mexico flood Oaxaca, as people in “rickety buses and cars” (a nice, neocolonial observation about the restless natives) head to Oaxaca to march with the students tomorrow. I can only imagine that university students in other parts of Mexico and in the U.S. may begin to respond on their own campuses as well. There were 21 cities in the U.S. last weekend that held protests against the Mexican government over Oaxaca, and that was before the bright idea of attacking the university.

Google Video has an 8-minute video summary of the "Battle of Radio Universidad."












Federal Troops. Water cannons. Anarchist with molotov cocktail. Tank on fire. Man on bicycle watching it all. What's he doing there? And with his pant leg clipped up so neatly.

It’s been almost impossible for me to figure out what’s really going on in Oaxaca the last few weeks. The teachers and protesters reached an agreement with the government, only they didn’t, then they did, then the teacher’s union and the APPO were fighting each other, then classes were going to re-open, only they didn’t very much, and the paramilitary kept killing protesters until they slipped up and shot down a New Yorker covering the situation for IndyMedia, along with two other people. Obviously, since it was the paramilitary who killed an American citizen, it made perfect sense – at least in that unique way of corrupt governments everywhere – to attack the people getting killed by the paramilitary. Let’s take it out on the victims, since they’re obviously causing the poor paramilitary to kill them. So President Fox finally sent in the troops, who drove the protesters out of the main plaza in Oaxaca. The corrupt Governor, whose resignation had been demanded by the protesters and even encouraged by many in the government, now felt justified and refused to quit. Only the protesters didn’t give up, if you can imagine such nerve on the part of the troublemakers. I don’t know where things are going to go from here, but it continues to get interesting.

In related news, Subcomandante Marcos, of the Zapatistas, was at the U.S. border on Wednesday as part of the Otra Campaña Tour of Mexico. He spoke to thousands of supporters on the bridge connecting Juarez to El Paso, Texas. The El Paso Times has a video clip and article. The Zapatistas have issued a Call to Action in support of the protesters in Oaxaca. Meanwhile, bad blood continues between the Otra Campaña Left and the Not-So-Left Still-Operating-in-the-Absolutely-Corrupt-Mexican-Political-System PRD. One of the PRD politicians from Chihuahua said that Marcos coming to his city was like Bin Laden being invited to a city in the U.S. No wonder so many leftists in Mexico refused to support Lopez Obrador.

Subcomandante Marcos speaking to supporters on the bridge between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas.














The U.S. media continues to be a mixed bag in terms of coverage of what’s happening in Oaxaca. Since Bradley Will, the Indy Media reporter from NY, was killed, coverage has increased. Most stories, however, give little or no context to the situation. And many stories really do slant the coverage against the protesters. A good example of this: Many reports in the U.S. said that Will was killed in “crossfire” between protesters and others, implying that the protesters were armed and exchanging gunfire. That’s not true. The video Will was making when he was killed [Warning: it's pretty intense at the end] is now on YouTube, and it clearly shows that only one side was doing all of the shooting. The protesters are armed with rocks. (I've never actually heard of the protesters using armed weapons. Molotov cocktails and fireworks, yes, but never firearms.) Two local officials and two policemen - i.e. typical members of the paramilitary thugs in Mexico - have been arrested for the murder of Bradley Will. In general, the Mexican press focused on the paramilitary involvement from the beginning. U.S. coverage, however, continued to repeat the “crossfire” story for days and days, until it became increasingly clear that they were wrong. Also, stories tend to either downplay the number of people killed – several articles this week have said 5 or 7, when it’s well over a dozen now. Or, they state the number of dead in such a way that it sounds like they may have been killed BY the protesters. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a U.S. news story say clearly: Over a dozen protesters have been killed by paramilitary. No, they usually say the “unrest” is responsible for the death of at least 5 people, or something like that. The “unrest” doesn’t pull the triggers. People pull the triggers. The people who pull the triggers are paramilitary. The people killed are protesters. It’s not that difficult to explain. I’ve only read of one death that was being attributed to the APPO, and even that was never confirmed.

I find it interesting, too, that there’s very little national coverage of the protests now taking place here in the U.S. This is a relatively new development, however, and it IS the week before important mid-term elections. But I think the numbers are only going to increase after the attack on the university, so it will be interesting to see how the coverage goes. There are ongoing protest “camps” in front of the Mexican Consulate in San Diego and in Houston. Twelve people were arrested in the Manhattan protests and five in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Saint Paul! (Been listening too much to that notorious radical who does Prairie Home Companion, I guess.) The few references to the protests I’ve seen say there have been “perhaps” a dozen across the U.S., but I found local news stories for 21 protests. (Do reporters not take the time to do a few Google and Yahoo News searches and count the articles?) Many have been in California, where there are large numbers of Oaxacans. According to one article, there are close to 25,000 living in San Diego. Protests have taken place in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Bernadino, San Deigo, San Jose, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Tucson, Phoenix, Austin, Houston, Lawrence (Kansas!!!), St. Paul, Chicago, Raleigh (North Carolina!!!), Philadelphia, Boston, Cambridge, and New York.

Ironically, one of my least favorite newspapers, the reactionary New York Daily News, actually had a good story by Juan Gonzalez about Bradley Will and the situation in Oaxaca: Camera his weapon vs. injustice. That’s where I found out about his video being on YouTube. Gonzalez says the Oaxaca story: "is one our own national media somehow managed to ignore for five long months. . . . Not since China's Tiananmen Square demonstrations in 1989 had a Third World nation witnessed such a massive and intractable public protest. But you couldn't tell that by watching network news reports in this country or reading the national press. Here was Mexico, our next-door neighbor and one of the world's most populous nations, in the throes of a huge crisis, and the big American media paid no attention."

Don't know about the Tiananmen Square analogy, but it's the first time I've read a U.S. journalist who mentions the lack of coverage.

The New York Times, after playing the “crossfire” game themselves for several days, did come out with a decent article on Will on Wednesday.

If Fox and Calderon were hoping this would all go away, I’m afraid they’re sorely mistaken.

Oaxaca Update

Federal troops in Oaxaca

I've been fairly busy at work this week and haven't been able to offer an update on events in Oaxaca, though much has taken place. But Jeff asked what was happening, so I'll do my best to report.

I have to say, I'm certainly no expert on what's going on. I'm too far removed to really understand all the important nuances, so please take what I say with a giant grain of salt. I'm trying to be as fair as possible given my many limitations. So, here's my attempt at a report (with some analysis) - from the Brooklyn-Texan News Service (BTNS,or BS for short):

The situation in Oaxaca continues to be tense, with several acts of violence occurring during the week, but there are also signs of a possible resolution. Representatives of the protesters met with Government officials on Thursday night in Mexico City, and the leader of the teachers union said afterwards that Abascal (the interior secretary) guaranteed there would be no military incursion in Oaxaca. This was a repeat of the pledge Abascal made in front of a rowdy Congress on Wednesday: “In the name of God, we will absolutely not use repression” in Oaxaca. The APPO (an umbrella organization of the protesters) and the teachers union will discuss the Government proposal over the weekend and respond on Monday. In the meantime, in an "act of good faith," the protesters have withdrawn from one of the radio stations they took over earlier.

(For more background on the situation, please see my earlier posts.)

Thankfully, there was a tremendous public outcry last week against sending troops to Oaxaca. If the Government really did have plans to attack the protesters, they probably had to seriously rethink their strategy in light of the response. Members of the PRD Party confronted Abascal in Congress on Wednesday; many non-governmental organizations and human rights groups spoke up; the Zapatistas demanded a peaceful solution; and some members of the Church also warned against violence, so that all eyes were on the Government and their actions in the state. A high-ranking member of President Fox’s own PAN Party said that Ulises Ruiz, the Governor of Oaxaca, who the protesters want removed, should step down. These are all good signs.

Unfortunately, there has also been a fair amount of violence in Oaxaca this week and some disturbing signs for the future. On Monday night, protesters manning a barricade were shot at from a passing truck and one was killed. On Thursday night, along the coast, a group of protesters were attacked by hooded men and several were wounded and others were kidnapped. I haven’t been able to find out what happened to the protesters who were kidnapped. That same night, a pro-government teacher was either “stabbed in the neck with an ice pick” or “hacked to death with ice axes.” Other pro-government teachers claim the murder was done by the protesters. The protesters deny this and say the action is being used as an excuse for an attack against them. (Interestingly, this last piece of news was the only one generally covered in the U.S. press, with no mention of the other incidents of violence.)

This morning, the APPO claims to have obtained a copy of Governor Ruiz’ Plan de Hierro, which details a proposed violent attack on the protesters in which military and police forces will be used. The APPO also says they now have direct evidence that, in August, Ruiz hired paramilitary forces composed of ex-military elite who were contracted to carry out vandalism and assassinations in order to justify the use of Federal forces.

Also, today, Bishop Raúl Vera of Saltillo, Coahuila, said that the situation in Oaxaca is similar to that which led to the 1997 massacre at Acteal. In that horrible event, 45 indigenous Roman Catholics, including pregnant women and children, were attending a prayer meeting in the village of Acteal, when they were attacked by paramilitary forces and slaughtered over the course of several hours while soldiers stationed nearby did nothing. The indigenous group had supported the Zapatista movement in Chiapas. Vera was Bishop “Coadjutor” in Chiapas at the time.

La Reina and I were in Chiapas only a few weeks before the Acteal massacre, and the mixture of Federal troops and paramilitary in Oaxaca right now does remind me of the situation in 1997. Basically, Federal soldiers are used to surround a large area, cutting off the target population from much outside help, aid, monitoring, etc. Meanwhile, paramilitary are engaged to do most of the dirty work. That way the Government can say, “Oh, it wasn’t us who used force,” and then conduct low-intensity warfare without drawing attention from from the media, who refuse to cover a situation until a certain number of people are killed at one time – like the massacre at Acteal, for example. While we were in Chiapas, the paramilitary seemed to be running wild, with violent incidents occurring almost every day. On one occasion, even the elderly sister of Archbishop Ruiz was beaten and almost killed. I don’t think people in the U.S. have a good conception of these kinds of tactics. They are actually terrorist tactics, as can be seen now in the actions of the various militias in Iraq. You separate the “official” force from the “unofficial” force in order to wage your war and avoid responsibility for what happens. In Mexico, powerful drug lords have significant connections to the military and police forces, so it’s even easier to recruit paramilitary forces.

Members of a Mexican Human Rights Group protesting the military occupation of Oaxaca

Hopefully, the Government proposal includes the removal of Governor Ulises Ruiz. If it does, then I think the protest will come to an end. The teachers said the other day that classes would resume 5 days after Ruiz left office. If the Government offer doesn't include Ruiz' dismissal, then I’m afraid that the APPO and the teachers will reject the proposal, which will lead to further protests, which will lead to increasing violence. It seems to me that the PAN, whose candidate Felipe Calderon is about to take power (in the official government), would gain a lot of much-needed public support by getting rid of Ruiz, who’s not even a member of their party. This might also help Calderon and the PAN diffuse the ongoing election crisis. But if they leave Ruiz in power, and the situation in Oaxaca grows worse, then they’ll have two ongoing crises and a lot of the public against them.

Another concern is that Ruiz may try to do something stupid on his own. He must know that he’s eventually on his way out. He’s already used force against the protesters once – which precipitated the crisis back in June – and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and the PRI are guilty of contracting paramilitary forces, and are, thus, responsible for the (at least) 6 protesters killed so far. Since he’s not a member of the PAN, I don’t know how much pressure they can put on him. And as Governor, I don’t know what rights he has to use force on his own.

Hopefully, though, a peaceful – and just – solution will soon be in place. This weekend will be very important. Prayers for a solution, I’m sure, are welcome by everyone in Oaxaca.

Preventing Bloodshed in Mexcio

[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/
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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
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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/
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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/
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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
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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)
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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
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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/

Tension Rising in Mexico

Events in Mexico could take an ugly turn in the next few days. Mexican newspapers are reporting that Federal forces may launch an attack on the capital of Oaxaca, where thousands of teachers have been on strike since last May. The APPO (Popular Assembly of the Oaxacan People), an umbrella organization made up of the teachers and their supporters, which include students, the indigenous, farmers and other workers, have declared a Red Alert and are refusing to back down. Designated "Operation Oaxaca," the attack could occur as early as Friday or Saturday and has already been approved by President Vicente Fox. Fox has been under pressure from the incoming administration of Felipe Calderon, of the right-wing PAN party, to resolve the growing crisis in Oaxaca before the inauguration ceremony on December 1. That is, IF, the inauguration takes place. Manuel López Obrador, the center-left PRD candidate who lost the closely contested election and still claims the results were rigged, has convened a ''national democratic convention'' and joined forces with two smaller parties to construct a parallel government. He plans his inauguration for November 20 and has said that he will disrupt Calderon's official inauguration on December 1.

Up till now, some of the teachers and their supporters in Oaxaca have viewed López Obrador and the PRD with suspicion - just another part of the corrupt and failed political system that continues to favor the rich. The situation in Oaxaca has been closer in spirit to that of the Zapatistas in Chiapas, part of a long-term grassroots political movement led by the people, or “the other campaign,” as it has been termed. While López Obrador has been branded an extreme leftist in a lot of U.S. coverage, his candidacy was actually rejected by parts of the left in Mexico for promoting the same neo-liberal policies as the other political parties. Subcomandante Marcos, for example, refused to endorse any of the candidates in the recent Presidential election and asked supporters of the Zapatistas to not vote for any of them. While most people in the U.S. pin their political hopes on the outcome of Presidential elections and the two-party system, an interesting development has been taking place in Mexico since the appearance of the Zapatistas in 1994 - a growing movement away from existing political structures towards newly developed methods of conducting politics from the ground up. We have nothing comparable in the United States right now, at least not developed to the extent it has been in Mexico. The teachers' strike in Oaxaca continues this trend. One wonders what would happen, however, if the situation in Oaxaca, led from “down below,” becomes linked more directly with López Obrador and his reformist efforts “from above.” Already last week, Subcomandante Marcos came out in public and agreed that election had been fraudulent and that López Obrador, who he has long disliked, was the legitimate winner. Could this be a sign that these two movements might collaborate more, at least temporarily? Perhaps, though Marcos has emphasized that the two movements are on distinct paths.

By sending Federal forces to attack the teachers in Oaxaca, could Calderon (via Fox) be warning López Obrador that he might be next? Most Mexicans are against using violence to resolve the situation in Oaxaca, but it wouldn't be the first time that a movement of poor people was violently attacked in Mexico to maintain the political system. And it's all happening right at our doorstep.

Actually, it's not even at our doorstep – it’s here, too. The economic situation in Oaxaca, which has the second largest indigenous population in Mexico, has been beyond terrible. EDUCA, a Oaxacan education and development organization, reports that 75% of the state's 3.4 million residents live in extreme poverty. Many of the Mexican immigrants in the U.S. are from Oaxaca. Some of them, especially in California, have been here a while and have formed political organizations such as the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations (the Frente). In 2002, when one of their members was arrested in Mexico, they launched large and effective protests in Fresno, CA. If the present situation in Oaxaca escalates into violence and repression, it will no doubt have direct reverberations in the U.S. as well.

Interesting that the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution is just around the corner.

UPDATED: Five minutes after posting, I came across an article in The New York Times (via Reuters): "Panic Shopping in Mexico's Oaxaca as Crisis Deepens." Incredibly, the article makes no reference at all to the impending attack of Federal forces, which may be a tiny reason WHY people are panic shopping, as has been discussed in the Mexican Press. Thanks, NYT, for that in-depth coverage. But, hey, at least they finally sniffed out the story.

Sunday Afternoon Miscellany

Things are really heating up in Mexico, yet with the exception of a few patronizing articles in the New York Times, who wishes Lopez Obrador and the little brown people would stop being so uppity, I don't see much steady coverage in the U.S. media about what's going on. And I haven't seen anything among "Liberal" bloggers. While all eyes are on the Middle East or mid-term elections, our next-door neighbor is veering deeper and deeper into a violent crisis that sounds at times like the lead-up to a civil war. The fight over the presidential election continues. Lopez Obrador, the PRD candidate who lost by 240,000 votes out of 41 million, and who claims there was serious fraud in the ballot counting, is threatening to set up a parallel government and to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony for PAN candidate Felipe Calderon. He and thousands of his supporters have been living in tents in Mexico City's main plaza for 36 days now. At the same time, the ongoing teacher's strike in Oaxaca has turned quite violent and has now become a referendum on ousting the governor of the state. About the only news in the U.S. about Mexico has been the increasingly racist rhetoric about illegal immigrants ruining our country. Ironically, if our eyes are on the Middle East, the most consistent and thorough coverage of Mexico that I've seenin the English-language press has been on Al-Jazeera, who at least recognizes an important international story when it sees one, including a front-page article today. To its credit, the U.S State Department at least knows something is up, as they've just released a Travel Warning for Oaxaca, telling U.S. citizens to "remain in their hotels or homes." According to them, "teachers, students, and other groups have engaged in increasingly violent demonstrations in and around Oaxaca City for several months." As far as I know, it isn't the teachers who have been killing people but right-wing paramilitary who have killed at least two teachers.

Jeff at Aun Estamos Vivos has an interesting post today on FDR - FDR's First 100 Days and the Saving of Democracy. I also enjoyed his book meme, and see that he also listed Woody Allen's Without Feathers as a book that made him laugh.

Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz died this week at the age of 94. He is the only Arab to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He's one of the many writers I've always meant to read but haven't. I can even picture myself at some point, thumbing through one of his books. A shame to wait until he was dead for me to get interested. I'm going to see if I can pick up Midaq Alley this week, though, which was recommended as a good starting point. And just how good a marketing move is it for a major novelist to kick the bucket? On August 29, 2006, the Amazon.com Sales Rank for Midaq Alley was #24,761. Today it's #1,210.

An interesting headline (via Susie Madrak's site): ICE arrests 15 aliens in Roswell working for U.S. military contractor.

Something to ponder:

"The inner, subtle essences can be contemplated only by sucking, not by knowing."

Isaac the Blind, 12th-13th century Jewish mystic