Riot police, bulldozers and army helicopters were poised to storm the Mexican tourist city of Oaxaca yesterday, but after talks with leaders of a long-running protest, officials said an offensive was on hold.
Mexico sent the federal riot force to the pretty colonial city, where protesters are pushing to oust the state governor, after gunmen thought to be local police killed three people including a US journalist on Friday.
Hundreds of federal officers arrived in planes on Saturday and prepared to retake numerous streets, squares and buildings occupied by leftist activists and striking teachers since May.
ON HOLD
But Deputy Interior Minister Arturo Chavez said federal police would not for now enter Oaxaca.
"The forces are not contemplating any action tonight or in the early hours of the morning, unless the circumstances require it," Chavez said after talks with protest leaders.
The local teaching union agreed to return to classes today and other activist leaders said they were open to more talks but would not back down until Governor Ulises Ruiz resigned.
The protesters say Ruiz is behind recent shootings and accuse him of corruption and repression of dissenters, whose roadblocks have driven tourists from Oaxaca and hurt business.
Chavez said plans may change if violence flared up again.
At least three people, including US independent journalist Brad Will, were shot and killed on Friday when men in civilian clothes opened fire on several protesters.
A Mexican newspaper gave the names of the attackers and said they were local police. The US Embassy in Mexico said police may have been involved in the shootings.
PRESIDENTIAL ORDER
Mexican President Vicente Fox on Saturday ordered federal police to intervene in Oaxaca.
Fox's government issued an ominous statement demanding protest leaders "immediately hand over streets, plazas, public buildings and private property" so that federal authorities can "guarantee public order."
After Fox's announcement, protesters fortified their positions by piling up sandbags and parking large trucks and buses across roads leading into the center of Oaxaca.
Some demonstrators blocked the main highway in from Mexico City, waving Mexican flags and chanting ``Get out Ulises!''
FEARS OF VIOLENCE
``I think there's going to be violence,'' said Eutelma Cruz, a 54-year-old housewife and protester. ``I hope [federal forces] intervene and find a peaceful solution.''
Men also were seen removing broadcast equipment from one of the local radio stations seized by protesters months ago. A second station held by leftists remained on the air, calling on followers to prepare for a street-to-street battle against police.
Uniformed police have not entered the center of Oaxaca since being fought off by protesters during a failed attempt in June to break up a protest camp in the city's central square.
OPTIMISTIC: A Philippine Air Force spokeswoman said the military believed the crew were safe and were hopeful that they and the jet would be recovered A Philippine Air Force FA-50 jet and its two-person crew are missing after flying in support of ground forces fighting communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, a military official said yesterday. Philippine Air Force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo said the jet was flying “over land” on the way to its target area when it went missing during a “tactical night operation in support of our ground troops.” While she declined to provide mission specifics, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala confirmed that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron sent “to provide air support” to troops fighting communist rebels in
PROBE: Last week, Romanian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against presidential candidate Calin Georgescu accusing him of supporting fascist groups Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Romania’s capital on Saturday in the latest anti-government demonstration by far-right groups after a top court canceled a presidential election in the EU country last year. Protesters converged in front of the government building in Bucharest, waving Romania’s tricolor flags and chanting slogans such as “down with the government” and “thieves.” Many expressed support for Calin Georgescu, who emerged as the frontrunner in December’s canceled election, and demanded they be resumed from the second round. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), which organized the protest,
ECONOMIC DISTORTION? The US commerce secretary’s remarks echoed Elon Musk’s arguments that spending by the government does not create value for the economy US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Sunday said that government spending could be separated from GDP reports, in response to questions about whether the spending cuts pushed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could possibly cause an economic downturn. “You know that governments historically have messed with GDP,” Lutnick said on Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures. “They count government spending as part of GDP. So I’m going to separate those two and make it transparent.” Doing so could potentially complicate or distort a fundamental measure of the US economy’s health. Government spending is traditionally included in the GDP because
Hundreds of people in rainbow colors gathered on Saturday in South Africa’s tourist magnet Cape Town to honor the world’s first openly gay imam, who was killed last month. Muhsin Hendricks, who ran a mosque for marginalized Muslims, was shot dead last month near the southern city of Gqeberha. “I was heartbroken. I think it’s sad especially how far we’ve come, considering how progressive South Africa has been,” attendee Keisha Jensen said. Led by motorcycle riders, the mostly young crowd walked through the streets of the coastal city, some waving placards emblazoned with Hendricks’s image and reading: “#JUSTICEFORMUHSIN.” No arrest
RSS