Federal Police Opened Fire On Protestors In Oaxaca And No One Is Talking About It

Fidel Martinez - 06/20/16 - things that matter
credit: @MexicAnarchist/Twitter/Animal Politico/YouTube

While you were lamenting Mexico’s humiliating 0-7 loss to Chile in the Copa America quarterfinals, sh*t was going down in Oaxaca, Mexico. On Sunday, confrontations between a teacher’s union and police — both federal and state — resulted in nine people killed, at least 100 injured, and 22 missing people.


A teacher’s union in Oaxaca set up multiple highway blockades as a protest.

Credit: @adn_sureste/Twitter

Sunday’s confrontations were the violent climax of seven days of demonstrations by the National Coordinator of Education Workers (Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación/CNTE). The teacher’s union has been protesting education reform that would change the way they are evaluated, as well as the arrest of two of its leaders for alleged money laundering.  That protest took the form of blocking major highways connecting Oaxaca to Mexico City. In some instances, the roads were blocked by passenger buses set on fire.


Federal and state police were called in to shut things down. That only made things worse.

Credit: @elmundoes/Twitter

It’s still unclear which side started the confrontation, but the presence of law enforcement made a volatile situation even worse. According to the Mexican federal police, the protestors began attacking first.


The protestors allegedly lobbed Molotov cocktails at police.

Credit: @Quadratinoaxaca/Twitter


The government claimed that its officers were unarmed. The evidence proved otherwise. Here are several images…

Credit: @reformanacional/Twitter


And here is video of the confrontation.

Credit: Animal Politico/YouTube


As many as 9 people have been killed, with hundreds others injured and 22 people missing.

Credit: @nss_oaxaca/Twitter

Credit:MexicAnarchist/Twitter


There have been conflicting reports over the number of casualties. Reuters has the body count at six. Other unconfirmed reports put that figure at 9:

Credit: @Ruantifa/Twitter


The Oaxacan clashes have received very little media attention, leading various people, including Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, to tweet out their frustration.

Credit: @RealGDT/Twitter

Credit: @RealGDT/Twitter

Credit: @Khanoisseur/Twitter


The violent clash has spurned even more protests in Oaxaca…

Credit: @MexicAnarchist/Twitter


… and in Mexico City, where people have called for the resignation of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

Credit: MexicAnarchist/Twitter

The Oaxacan violence is only the latest public relations nightmare for the Mexican President. People are still demanding answers for the 2014 disappearance of 43 students.


READ: A Year Has Passed Since the Ayotzinapa 43 Went Missing, and These People Are Still Marching the Streets of Mexico

Do you think the media should do a better job at covering what’s going on in Mexico? Don’t forget to click the share button if you agree.

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