Signals of Provocation in Oaxaca

The facts we observe on the ground:

• military or state police (dark blue uniforms) occupying Fortin are practicing military exercises.
• the zocalo is heavily occupied by PRI vendors, Noticias says 700 puestos.
• Noticias says outlying roads are all blocked with military checkpoints through which no-one “suspicious” can pass.
• The governor is bussing in people from the rural areas (paying them to attend the commercial Guelaguetza), and advising government employees to not bring their children.
• the APPO, the teachers, the civil society organizations and even Dr. Bertha Muños are sending messages warning of the government’s intention to provoke an excuse for military crackdown.
• the teachers assembly scheduled for Saturday afternoon has been cancelled to avoid further arbitrary arrests (I gather at least two “leaders” have been arrested and warrants are out).

According to Víctor Manuel Gómez Ramírez of MAS, (editorial in Noticias) the leaders of the teachers popular movement are taking the movement into a dead end. He sees a lack of coherent policy and lack of any such a policy’s enforceability. The State Council of the APPO has been unable to prevent people from falling into provocations.