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Mexico City Holds Massive March in Support of Teachers' Demands

IN PICTURES:  Last Sunday’s massacre in Oaxaca has sparked an explosion of local and global condemnation against state repression in Mexico.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Mexico City over the weekend to protest the government's neoliberal education reforms and its brutal repression of teachers, especially in Oaxaca where 12 people were killed.

Led by the CNTE teachers' unions, dozens of student groups, community and women's organizations, and other labor unions showed a massive display of solidarity with the brave fight of the teachers in the nation's capital. Protesters chanted "Maestro, aguanta! El pueblo se levanta!" ("Teacher, hold on! The people are rising!") and "Entonces, lucha! Lucha! Lucha! No dejes de luchar! Por un gobierno obrero, campesino y popular!" ("So fight! Fight! Fight! Do not stop fighting! For a worker, peasant and popular government!")

The protests against education reforms have since spread across the country and workers from other sectors have joined the fight as well. The teachers and their supporters will continue to fight for their rights!

Photos by Che Brandes-Tuka.

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The teachers of the CNTE have been on a general strike since May 15. Since that date there has been an intense plan of mobilizations by the movement, and the state response was brutal repression. In the last week, barricades were erected in all regions of the state of Oaxaca, where countless acts of repression by federal and state police were recorded.
The teachers of the CNTE have been on a general strike since May 15. Since that date there has been an intense plan of mobilizations by the movement, and the state response was brutal repression. In the last week, barricades were erected in all regions of the state of Oaxaca, where countless acts of repression by federal and state police were recorded. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Thousands of protesters gathered at the emblematic Independence Angel monument, to show support for striking teachers and to protest the government’s violent response which led to the deaths of 12 people.
Thousands of protesters gathered at the emblematic Independence Angel monument, to show support for striking teachers and to protest the government’s violent response which led to the deaths of 12 people. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
More than 4,000 police officers were deployed in central Mexico City.
More than 4,000 police officers were deployed in central Mexico City. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Just after midday, tens of thousands were already present at the demonstration marking one week since the violent repression by the Peña Nieto government against demonstrators in the southern state of Oaxaca protesting against his neoliberal education reform.
Just after midday, tens of thousands were already present at the demonstration marking one week since the violent repression by the Peña Nieto government against demonstrators in the southern state of Oaxaca protesting against his neoliberal education reform. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-TukateleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Students at major Mexican universities boycotted classes this week to mark last Sunday’s massacre and to oppose the ongoing efforts by the government to increase costs of higher education.
Students at major Mexican universities boycotted classes this week to mark last Sunday’s massacre and to oppose the ongoing efforts by the government to increase costs of higher education. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Early this week more than 200,000 doctors and nurses joined the teachers’ in a 24-hour strike against Peña Nieto’s administration attempts to privatize the federal social security and health systems.
Early this week more than 200,000 doctors and nurses joined the teachers’ in a 24-hour strike against Peña Nieto’s administration attempts to privatize the federal social security and health systems. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
In a press release, the CNTE said that the government has publicly shown that today’s teachers are treated as the worst offenders in the country as several of them are held in maximum security prisons.
In a press release, the CNTE said that the government has publicly shown that today’s teachers are treated as the worst offenders in the country as several of them are held in maximum security prisons. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
The educational reform is part of the Structural Adjustment Programs, SAP, guided by the World Bank, WB, International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the Inter-American Development Bank, IDB. In total, 11 structural reforms have been approved: labor, the treasury, education, finance, energy, reform on transparency, political and electoral reform, reform in telecommunications and broadcasting, the new court-ordered protection law, the national criminal procedures code, and reform in economic competition.
The educational reform is part of the Structural Adjustment Programs, SAP, guided by the World Bank, WB, International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the Inter-American Development Bank, IDB. In total, 11 structural reforms have been approved: labor, the treasury, education, finance, energy, reform on transparency, political and electoral reform, reform in telecommunications and broadcasting, the new court-ordered protection law, the national criminal procedures code, and reform in economic competition. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
If the national teachers' movement manages to bring down the educational reform, a path will be cleared to bring down all the structural reforms that are occurring in the country’s strategic sectors, such as the energy sector. This is the assessment that teachers are making. This is precisely the fear of the federal government.
If the national teachers' movement manages to bring down the educational reform, a path will be cleared to bring down all the structural reforms that are occurring in the country’s strategic sectors, such as the energy sector. This is the assessment that teachers are making. This is precisely the fear of the federal government. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Teachers have pledged to continue their protests until their demands are met, showing that no intimidation or repression will stop them from fighting for what is their constitutional right. However, they have a powerful enemy—the Mexican media.
Teachers have pledged to continue their protests until their demands are met, showing that no intimidation or repression will stop them from fighting for what is their constitutional right. However, they have a powerful enemy—the Mexican media. Photo:teleSUR / Che Brandes-Tuka
Published 27 June 2016
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