Saturday, July 1, 2006
Hola de MexicoWe made it to Oaxaca late Thursday night. We're here until the middle of August. S is studying Zapotec and I am studying Spanish for one week, then working on my other projects the rest of the time. Next Friday we go down to Juchitan, a matrifocal town in the Isthmus that is famous for its iguana-crowned women. Wow! 10:03:31 AM | Oaxaca's zocalo is under siege by the state's teachers who are striking for better pay, etc. The governor, a PRI hack who was elected in 2004, raided the teachers with police and tear gas a few weeks ago, resulting in two teachers dying. Now the teachers are demanding Ulises step down. Francisco Toledo, a local artist and community activist/developer is the intermediary in on-going discussions with the state. The teachers strike every year, and the only difference we can see between years past and this year is the amount of space around the zocalo that is also used up -- there are blue and red and pink tarps strung between buildings in a one block radius around the square, with groups of teachers, their spouses, and their children living beneath them. It's a peaceful protest. As is consistent with most governments these days, the reaction by governor Ulises and his thugs has been dramatically inappropriate for the actions of the teachers. How familiar a story is that? Hopefully I'll have internet access a time or two again while we're here to update. Our service is spotty at best right now. But the weather is fine! 
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Last update: 7/6/06; 9:46:05 PM .
