Houston Chronicle: Oaxaca turmoil seen as warning to Mexico
For more than two months, leftist protesters have laid siege to the heart of Oaxaca, among the hemisphere’s prettier old cities and one of this country’s premier tourist destinations.
The militants have pitched tents and plastic tarps across the once-charming central plaza and in the breezeways of its adjoining colonial buildings. They’ve hung photos of Marx, Lenin and Stalin, built makeshift barricades on the streets leading into the square and spray-painted promises of rebellion on walls and windows throughout downtown.
“Long live the popular struggle!” one sign growls.
Initial demands of a moderate salary bump for Oaxaca’s teachers have been replaced by calls for the state governor’s resignation and sweeping economic and social changes in Mexico. Protesters have hitched their movement to the dispute over Mexico’s July 2 presidential elections, which many leftists consider fraudulent.
Follow
