Feature Archives

November 27th, 2006 - B.C. Peller reports: Following the repression exerted on November 25th the federal police (PFP) has come out with statements declaring that they're patience is exhausted and that they are willing to go all out to put an end to the movement by December 1st. Read More
November 26th, 2006 - B.C. Peller reports: There are reported to be 4 different armed groups operating in Oaxaca City at the moment, PRI backed paramilitaries, the Federal Preventative Police (PFP), the state police and the Federal Investigative Police (AFI). Read More
November 25th, 2006 - radio zapote writes: Today, after the seventh megamarch in Oaxaca, members of the APPO attempted to form a human fence around the federal preventative police (PFP), but were attacked with gas. This unleashed a series of clashes with violence again igniting in the city. Many have been arrested and there are reports of many wounded, some by gunfire. It is confirmed that three people were killed.

November 25: The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca is on its seventh mega-march with the idea of encircling the federal police who have been stationed in the center square of Oaxaca City since November 2nd. The federal police has responded with massive amounts of teargas. Report from the start of the march.
The date December 1st is looming on the horizon, as it is when the fraudulently-elected Felipe Calderon is supposed to become president of Mexico, and Oaxaca's largely-deposed Ulises Ruiz Ortiz would be eligible to appoint a new governor. With the 7th Mega-Marcha, the popular movement in Oaxaca is stepping up its organizing to maintain its autonomy.
The Cinco Señores Barricade, set up in front of the Benito Juarez Autonomous University, is the last remaining barricade in Oaxaca City. Portrait of The Last Barricade by Barucha Calamity Peller

Tuesday, November 21: At 12:30am, armed supporters of the PRI party ransacked and burned tents at the APPO encampment in Santa Domingo. During the day, two people were detained at the Cinco Senores barricade while government forces were attempting to take it down, and it is reported that one of these two has a gunshot wound and was severely beaten. Today 10 APPO women began a hunger strike in Oaxaca City, as calls were put out for caravans to travel to Oaxaca from around Mexico for a day of action November 25th where the popular uprising will attempt to encircle the police stationed at the city center. APPO Press Release

On Monday,there were clashes with the police and barricades were re-rected around the APPO encampment. Photo Essay by Barucha Calamity Peller | Photos and Audio by Danielsan

Following the call put out by the Zapatistas for a nationwide general strike in Mexico on November 20th, actions had been planned internationally. In San Francisco, approximately 150 protesters marched during rush hour traffic, blocking the entrances to the Oakland Bay Bridge. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | En Español | Video 1 | 2. In Santa Cruz, a rally and march took place at UCSC. Photos

Oaxaca Coverage on Indybay

Oaxaca Solidarity Demonstrations on Monday, November 20th Actions in Mexico and around the world fell on the same day where Obrador, the candidate who lost the summer elections to fraud, is to be inaugurated by his supporters. There have been recent criticisms that Obrador's party is attempting to co-opt the popular movement in Oaxaca, read Women, Political Parties, Barricades and Autonomy by Barucha Calamity Peller. Meanwhile the Oaxacan Attorney General has blamed APPO for the death of Indymedia journalist and anarchist Brad Will. Report, Audio and Photos by danielsan.

Recently reports have surfaced that the Federal Preventative Police have been sexually assualting women in Oaxaca. On Sunday, November 21st hundreds of women marched to confornt the PFP who have been stationed in the city square since November 2nd. March Against Sexual Assualts by the PFP by Barucha Calamity Peller.

The Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca had a weekend-long Congress from November 10th-12th, and marches were planned for every day this week. The support at the barricade in front of Radio Universidad has been thinning out and two fast food restaurants near the university were firebombed over the weekend. A Student and Youth Conference also vowed to protect the University. In Oaxaca City, graffiti that is covered up goes back up daily. Pictures of people putting up slogans in Oaxaca and Oaxaca at Any Cost (article and photos) by Barucha Calamity Peller | Report and photos from the APPO Congress by Tristan | Message from the Student and Youth Conference by Danielsan

Upcoming Events and Worldwide Direct Action in Support of Oaxaca on November 20

The Sandinista Party’s Daniel Ortega was elected President of Nicaragua November 5th with a substantial lead, enabling him to win outright. The Liberal Party, which held the presidency since the Sandinistas lost it in 1990, had recently split over issues related to the conviction for corruption of the previous president, Arnoldo Alemán. Ortega has the enthusiastic support of President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and is causing consternation in Washington.

On November 7th, dozens of Bay Area activists stood in solidarity with the people of Beit Hanoun and protested the Israeli aggression against the people of Palestine and the siege of Gaza. The group started out at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco where many police and a handful of Israel supporters waited for the vigil to begin. The demonstration progressed to Montgomery and Market to bring the atrocities in Gaza to the attention of the people of San Francisco. Photos | Video

On November 10th a vigil was held in front of the Israeli Consulate. Photos