From Common Dreams
By Diego Cevallos

Thousands of local residents, teachers and social activists in the front line of a historic movement against local authorities in the capital of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca are preparing to resist a police operation they believe may be imminent.

“Our companions are very tense. We demand that force should not be used, nobody wants blood in the streets,” Florentino López, spokesman for the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO), a variegated social movement bringing together radical and reformist trade unions and leftist political forces in the state, told IPS from Oaxaca, the state capital.

Sources close to President Vicente Fox’s government told IPS that police plans are laid to put an end to the conflict, which has already lasted 129 days, after attempts failed at negotiation between APPO and representatives of state Governor Ulises Ruiz, who is accused of corruption and human rights abuses.

A police crackdown in Oaxaca “is not planned, but neither is it ruled out,” said Interior Minister Carlos Abascal, who in the past few days has been meeting members of the business community, opinion leaders and church representatives to discuss the conflict.

López confirmed that the “peaceful resistance” movement’s barricades in the centre of Oaxaca have been reinforced and extended since Monday, and that “many compañeros” have armed themselves with incendiary bombs, sticks and stones.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city, the military and police presence has also been beefed up, according to various reports.

“The situation is explosive and could flare up at any time,” Wilfredo Mayrén told IPS.

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