Oaxaca… something happened

There are plenty of reports (possibly overblown — as the newspaper reports all say, “details are sketchy”) of the confrontation yesterday between the APPO and the PFP (federal police). 

El Universal reports that 80 people were injured and 100 arrested in confrontations. 

 Rocks were thrown, a few homemade rockets were launched (these rockets are hardly stinger missiles — they’re PVC plumbing pipe used to aim fireworks, which Mexicans use on all occasions mostly for the noise and light.  Some churches still use them to announce the elevation of the Host, and small towns keep them in stock to set off the same way other small towns in the U.S. set off a fire or tornado alarms). 

 The reports are pretty certain a state court and the Hotel/Motel owners association were firebombed.  There are some reports of molotov cocktains being thrown into the Camino Royale, but no damage reports I’ve seen (other than the usually alarmist — and unreliable — “Mark in Mexico” blog). 

(Though, it looks like even Mark is starting to realize the State Government — or at least the Governor — is a hinderance, and not a help — to resolving the situation.)

Yes, this is all very worrisome, but with the Presidentical inaguaration in a couple of days, things are going to be more tense. 

 What caught my eye in the short report in this morning’s Mexico City Herald was the last sentence: 

After 8 p.m. gunshots were heard across town, and a group of journalists took refuge in a house after police fired at them.

 The reports aren’t clear on whether this was the Federal Police or the local police shooting at journalists.