Photo: @05Cesgar
Midterm elections are scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday June 7, in Mexico. Mexican citizens will be voting for 500 federal congressmen, 9 governors, and several hundred mayors and local legislators. Protests to boycott the vote have been taking place across Mexico. Police forces and military descended upon the state of Oaxaca last night to reinforce voting stations and “ensure democratic elections” take place tomorrow.
As of June 4, 19 people had died who were connected with the electoral process in Mexico. Reports yesterday initially indicated that state police had beat to death magisterial leader, member of the Popular Guerrero (MPG) and activist, Juan Tenorio, in Tlapa, Guerrero. CETEG members (Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores de la Educación de Guerrero) and MPG were demonstrating to demand justice for the Ayotzinapa case and to promote the electoral boycott in the state. It was later reported that Tenorio survived the beating. Contradictory reports are still coming in on whether he is alive or dead.
“Conflicting versions about the life or death of magisterial leader #JuanTenorio, together with other teachers, victim of repression in #Tlapa”
The following video shows some of what transpired in Tlapa, Guerrero yesterday. The total number of injuries is unknown although Animal Politico reported 9 injured MPG members. The video shows a group of civilians armed with sticks and machetes walking behind the line of riot police and later shows civilians and police “hunting” together for MPG members. The end of the video states that at least 2 protesters are being detained at the municipal palace and they are both injured.
VIDEO: Armed civilians and state police repress the MPG in Tlapa , Guerrero. June 5, 2015
The electoral boycott campaign is supported by Sección XXII Oaxaca, CNTE, CETEG, normalistas, families of the 43 disappeared students, MPG and various other social groups. A Petition of the People’s Assembly Tixtla, Guerrerostates that the National Electoral Institute (INE) has “brought to power corrupt candidates and demonstrated collusion with organized crime, which through elections have legitimized their power. The same power leads them to commit harassment, extortion, crimes, disappearances, political prisoners and other human rights abuses.”
The petition adds that the Citizen Observatory for Public Safety for Criminal Justice has identified links between 24 mayors of Guerrero and organized crime, candidates who are running in the Guerrero elections. Citing the Iguala case as an obvious example of collusion between Guerrero politicians and organized crime, citizens supporting#BoicotElectoral rightfully feel that no political party represents them.
Throughout the past week many actions have taken place burning electoral propaganda and setting fire to different political parties’ headquarters along with taking toll booths and blocking INE offices to prevent the installation of voting stations.
A massive amount of federal police and military personnel moved into the state of Oaxaca overnight to “ensure democratic elections take place” and took control of various INE offices in Oaxaca. A sit-in is taking place today in the zocalo of Oaxaca organized by CNTE teachers after they lifted blockades of INE offices and a Pemex oil refinery due to threats from military and police forces.
“about 10 km of gendarmeria, heading to #Oaxaca”
“Already 11 Hercules aircraft of the army and federal police arriving in Oaxaca in the framework of the #BoicotElectoral”
“About 30 military vehicles heading to the Tule Oaxaca #BoicotElectoral”
“Federal police “take care” of INE (Instituto Nacional Electoral) installations in #Oaxaca, they call it democracy.”
“Democratic freedoms for the people of Mexico are guaranteed by the force of the State. Vote… “
“How many military mobilizations of this magnitude have been seen for alleged organized crime, cartels and the like? None?”
At the time of publishing, actions and attempted evictions by security forces were taking place in the following cities:
Tuxtepec
Tlaxiaco
Pinotepa
SalinaCruz
Tixtla
Teotitlán de Flores Magón
Huajuapan
Juchitán
Miahuatlán
We will continue to monitor the elections and update with new information. You can also follow hashtags#BoicotElectoral and #Eleccion2015 for updates in Spanish & English.