'Other Campaign' update: 5th – 28th April 2007

The most important recent news is the release of a communique stating that the results of the first section of the Other Campaign will soon be available, feeding into the “draft of what will come to be the plan for a national struggle” and stating that the claims of many that there would not be support in the North of Mexico for the Campaign and that there would not be support post-election have been proved false. The ongoing repression against social movements, including La Otra, are denounced.

Marcos recently visited the Mexico-US Border twice, firstly giving support to the Cucapa Peace Camp and secondly to announce Yaqui as the site for the upcoming Intercontinental Indigenous Gathering. The Zapatistas have recently joined a number of organizations supporting the 23 people arrested in March during Bush’s visit to Mexico on the heinous charges of damaging not only a door panel but also a potted plant.

The conflict in Oaxaca continues focusing on neo-liberal profiteering connected with wind farms, a proposed hydroelectric damn and mining enterprises. This fits in with Calderon’s recent attempt to revive the Plan Puebla Panama. Importantly, the main square in Oaxaca City was recently retaken, for the first time since November, by the office workers and administrators union members. The annual May teachers’ negotiations (which sparked off the original struggle) are due in a few weeks and may lead to an upsurge in the conflict, with APPO continuing to ”scare the shit out of the governor” Ulises Ruiz. Torture of activists and a climate of fear continue, with David Venegas Reyes, a member of the APPO council, being falsely arrested and beaten.

A fascinating report on the recent paramilitary activity and how the Zapatista – OPDDIC struggle bisects communities and even families can be found here. On a slightly less serious note, this article, which briefly mentions Javier Zanetti’s support of the Zapatistas, asks where the left-wing footballers have disappeared.