{"article":{"id":28224,"heading":" Violent Repression in Oaxaca, Mexico on 1\/25...Support Needed!","author":"x","created":"2003-02-06 07:38:05","modified":"2013-11-10 23:48:30","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 06:48:30","article":"<p>(English translation is followed by the original <br>  <br> version in Spanish) <br><br> ******************************************************* <br>  <br> First is the most up-to-date information, followed by <br>  <br> another report, with additional background &amp; more <br>  <br> email contacts) <br><br> Mexico City, Mexico, January 27, 2003.-- Around 3:00 <br>  <br> pm on January 25, in the community of Eloxochitl&aacute;n de <br>  <br> Flores Magon, Oaxaca, Jaime Betanzos received two <br>  <br> shots in the chest and abdomen respectively. <br><br> Jaime Betanzos, together with other comrades from <br>  <br> Eloxochitl&aacute;n, had been instrumental in the <br>  <br> organization of the Community Assembly to defend the <br>  <br> practices and customs of his community against the <br>  <br> threat of the local government?s power, which has <br>  <br> tried to eliminate those customs, which are in <br>  <br> opposition to its interests.  Jaime has played an <br>  <br> important role in establishing the Nguixo Community <br>  <br> Radio (August 25, 2001), and, in addition, was an <br>  <br> enthusiastic force in the Assembly Magonista (1998).  <br><br> On the night of the 26th, I was notified by telephone <br>  <br> of this sad fact, in part from a colleague of the <br>  <br> Assembly and and through the Community Radio of that <br>  <br> settlement.  Comrade Betanzos was surgically operated <br>  <br> on in the city of Puebla, and thanks to the timely <br>  <br> medical intervention, his life is no longer in danger, <br>  <br> though he is still in delicate condition. <br><br> Around 3:00 pm on Saturday, January 25th, Professor <br>  <br> Betanzos was ambushed in his community.  At the <br>  <br> moment, the identity of the aggressor is unknown, <br>  <br> though it is only a question of time, given that <br>  <br> Batanzo had reconized who tried to assasinate him. <br><br> Behind this attack, without any doubt, are hidden the <br>  <br> hands of power of the local PRI leaders, of whom <br>  <br> Eugenio Cerqueda is the visible head, and the <br>  <br> government of the state of Oaxaca, headed by its <br>  <br> Governor Jose Murat. <br><br> We remember that since October 2001, the Community <br>  <br> Assembly of Eloxochitlan has collided in resistance to <br>  <br> the imposition of the local governors? power to <br>  <br> continue to control from the municipal presidency of <br>  <br> this community. <br><br> The PRI used this conflict to help elect its <br>  <br> representatives Lilia Mendoza Cruz, Genero Sosa Gomez <br>  <br> y Sofia Castro Rios.  During this past May, various <br>  <br> members of the Community Assembly were physically <br>  <br> attacked, four of them in a serious way, by people in <br>  <br> the paid service of Eugenio Cerqueda and Claudio <br>  <br> Betanzos (previous President of the municipality).  <br>  <br> This occured when the Assembly members met in the <br>  <br> neighboring village of Huautla de Jim&eacute;nez to denounce <br>  <br> previous aggression on the part of other government <br>  <br> assassins that has tried to violently evict those who <br>  <br> peacefully took the municipal palace (as organized by <br>  <br> the Community Assembly of Eloxochitlan.) <br><br> During July 2002, after the complaint of the Mexican <br>  <br> military, through General Brigadier Javier del Real, <br>  <br> Sub-Chief Operative of the State, the Federal <br>  <br> Secretary of Communication and Transport, instructed <br>  <br> the secretary of the state of Oaxaca to confiscate the <br>  <br> transmission equipment and the installations from <br>  <br> where the signal of Community Radio Nguixo is <br>  <br> broadcast. In spite of the threat, the representatives <br>  <br> of this secretary still have not dared to carry out <br>  <br> this order for fear of a confrontation with the <br>  <br> inhabitants of this community, among whom exists a <br>  <br> strong support for the radio, which they would readily <br>  <br> defend.  <br><br> 2003 is an electoral year, where positions for federal <br>  <br> and state representatives are in disputte.  We cannot <br>  <br> stop suspecting that this attempted homicide against <br>  <br> Jaime Betanzos is more an attempt to preserve the <br>  <br> privileges of those who show off the local and state <br>  <br> power; that it little inconveniences them to newly <br>  <br> soil their hands with blood. <br><br> I ask all of you to spread this news.  Please do all <br>  <br> that you can to stop the assassin?s aggression towards <br>  <br> our comrades.  Show your solidarity towards Jaime?s <br>  <br> family and the comrades of the Community Assembly and <br>  <br> Radio Nguixo. <br><br> Send supportive emails to the following addresses: <br><br> <a href=\"mailto:comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com<\/a> <br><br> <a href=\"mailto:krulley@tutopia.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">krulley@tutopia.com<\/a> <br><br> ***************************** <br><br> VIOLENCE AGAINST MAGONISTA LEADER IN MAZATECA, OAXACA, <br>  <br> MEXICO <br><br> The local leaders of the PRI, Baltazat Carrera <br>  <br> Hernandez and Filogenio Zepeda, with their backs <br>  <br> covered by the governor of Oaxaca, Jose Murat, made an <br>  <br> attempt on the life of one of the Magonista resistors, <br>  <br> teacher Jaime Betanzos. <br><br> It seems that after more than nine years of autonomous <br>  <br> indigenous rule and after more than one year since the <br>  <br> installation of Community and Free Radio Ngixo in <br>  <br> Eloxochitlan, Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, the PRIista <br>  <br> leaders, lead by the sinister Jose Murat, Grand leader <br>  <br> and Governor of Oaxaca, are trying to silence the free <br>  <br> and liberated voices.  There are already hundreds of <br>  <br> acts of repression against the indigenous people of <br>  <br> Oaxaca that Jose Murat initiated and\/or tolerated. <br><br> When will the tolerance cease for Murat?s assassins <br>  <br> and exploiters who continue repressing all of Oaxaca?s <br>  <br> villages? <br><br> From our correspondents in Mexico City and Oaxaca: <br><br> \"The President of the Indigenous Central Counsel of <br>  <br> Eloxochitlan, Jaime Betanzos Fuentes was victim of an <br>  <br> attack. <br><br> Yesterday, Saturday, January 25, 2003, the President <br>  <br> of the Indigenous Central Counsel, Jaime Betanzos <br>  <br> Fuentes was victim of an attack on his life.  He <br>  <br> received three bullets in his body when he was found <br>  <br> working on his land, as was his habit to do during the <br>  <br> weekends.  The aggressors that tried to assassinate <br>  <br> him were sympathizers of the Ex-President of the <br>  <br> Municipality, Eugenio Cerqued; but they only succeeded <br>  <br> in leaving him wounded, in a very grave condition. <br><br> In spite of his condition, he walked to the center of <br>  <br> the town to receive aid.  When his friends saw that he <br>  <br> had been seriously injured, they transferred him <br>  <br> immediately to the city of Huautla of Jimenez and <br>  <br> there they were told that this hospital could not take <br>  <br> care of him since they did not have the resources.  So <br>  <br> they transferred him to Puebla where he is at this <br>  <br> moment and they are going to emergency operate on him. <br>  <br>  He is in the ISSTE Hospital in Colonia San Manuel in <br>  <br> Puebla. <br><br> Hopefully you can pass this message to the rest of <br>  <br> your contacts to denounce this act of cowardice to <br>  <br> which Jaime Betanzos fell victim. <br><br> Write to: <br>  <br> Consejo Central Indigena de Eloxochitlan de Flores <br>  <br> Mag&oacute;n <br>  <br> Emails: <br><br> <a href=\"mailto:comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com<\/a> <a href=\"mailto:befeinti@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">befeinti@hotmail.com<\/a> <br><br> Pagina: www.asambleamagonista.tk <br><br> If you think that it would make a difference to send <br>  <br> emails of protest, you can make them out to the <br>  <br> following addresses: <br><br> VICENTE FOX : <a href=\"mailto:radio@presidencia.gob.mx\" rel=\"nofollow\">radio@presidencia.gob.mx<\/a> <br><br> SANTIAGO CREEL, SECRET. GOBERNACION : <br>  <br> <a href=\"mailto:santiagocreel@compuserve.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">santiagocreel@compuserve.com<\/a> <br><br> JOSE MURAT : <a href=\"mailto:gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx\" rel=\"nofollow\">gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx<\/a> <br><br> ******************************************************** <br>  <br> Primero son las noticias mas nuevas; despues, hay un <br>  <br> otro version con poquito mas informacion historica y <br>  <br> otros contactos... <br>  <br> M&eacute;xico D. F. 27 de Enero de 2003.  Alrededor de las 3 <br>  <br> de tarde del 25 de Enero, en la comunidad de <br>  <br> Eloxochitl&aacute;n de Flores Mag&oacute;n, Oaxaca, el compa&ntilde;ero <br>  <br> Jaime Betanzos recibi&oacute; dos disparos en el pecho y <br>  <br> abdomen respectivamente. <br><br> Jaime Betanzos, junto a otr@s compa&ntilde;er@s de <br>  <br> Eloxochitl&aacute;n, han impulsado la organizaci&oacute;n de la <br>  <br> Asamblea Comunitaria para defender los usos y <br>  <br> costumbres de su comunidad, ante la amenaza del poder <br>  <br> caciquil local que ha intentado eliminarlos por ser <br>  <br> estos usos y costumbres opuestos a sus inter&eacute;s. Jaime <br>  <br> ha jugado un papel importante para establecer la Radio <br>  <br> Comunitaria Nguixo (25 de agosto de 2001), adem&aacute;s de <br>  <br> entusiasta impulsor de la Asamblea Magonista (1998) <br><br> Por la noche del d&iacute;a 26 fui notificado v&iacute;a telef&oacute;nica <br>  <br> de este lamentable hecho por parte de un compa&ntilde;ero de <br>  <br> la Asamblea y de la Radio Comunitaria de aquella <br>  <br> poblaci&oacute;n. El compa&ntilde;ero Betanzos fue intervenido <br>  <br> quir&uacute;rgicamente en la ciudad de Puebla (en el estado <br>  <br> del mismo nombre), y gracias a una oportuna <br>  <br> intervenci&oacute;n m&eacute;dica, la vida del compa&ntilde;ero Betanzos se <br>  <br> encuentra fuera de peligro, aunque su estado de salud <br>  <br> se declara como delicado. <br><br> Alrededor del as 3 de tarde del d&iacute;a s&aacute;bado 25 de este <br>  <br> mes, fue emboscado el profesor   Jaime Betanzos cuando <br>  <br> paseaba solo en su comunidad. De momento se desconoce <br>  <br> la identidad de agresor, aunque solo es cuesti&oacute;n de <br>  <br> tiempo, dado que el compa&ntilde;ero Betanzos ha reconocido a <br>  <br> qui&eacute;n intento asesinarlo. <br><br> De tras de &eacute;ste ataque, sin duda alguna, se esconden <br>  <br> las manos de poder caciquil Pri&iacute;sta, donde Eugenio <br>  <br> Cerqueda es la cabeza visible, y del gobierno del <br>  <br> estado de Oaxaca encabezado por su gobernador Jos&eacute; <br>  <br> Murat. <br><br> Recordemos que desde el mes de octubre del 2001 la <br>  <br> Asamblea Comunitaria de Eloxochitl&aacute;n se encuentra en <br>  <br> resistencia ante la imposici&oacute;n del poder caciquil por <br>  <br> continuar con el control desde la presidencia <br>  <br> municipal de &eacute;sta comunidad. <br><br>  Durante este conflicto se ha denunciado la <br>  <br> utilizaci&oacute;n electoral que han realizado l@s diputad@s <br>  <br> Lilia Mendoza Cruz, Genero Sosa G&oacute;mez y Sof&iacute;a Castro <br>  <br> R&iacute;os, pertenecientes al Partido de la Revoluci&oacute;n <br>  <br> Institucional.  Durante el mes de mayo del a&ntilde;o pasado, <br>  <br> varios compa&ntilde;eros de la Asamblea Comunitaria fueron <br>  <br> agredidos f&iacute;sicamente, cuatro de ellos de forma grave, <br>  <br> por gente pagada al servicio de Eugenio Cerqueda y <br>  <br> Claudio Betanzos (anterior presidente municipal), <br>  <br> cuando los compa&ntilde;eros se encontraban en el vecino <br>  <br> poblado de Huautla de Jim&eacute;nez, para denunciar una <br>  <br> anterior agresi&oacute;n por parte de otros sicarios, que <br>  <br> pretend&iacute;an desalojar de forma violenta, la toma <br>  <br> pacifica del palacio municipal organizada por la <br>  <br> Asamblea Comunitaria de Eloxochitl&aacute;n. <br><br>  Durante el mes de Julio del 2002, y despu&eacute;s de la <br>  <br> denuncia del Ejercito Mexicano, a trav&eacute;s del General <br>  <br> Brigadier Javier del Real, Subjefe Operativo del <br>  <br> Estado Mayor. La Secretar&iacute;a Federal de Comunicaciones <br>  <br> y Transportes, instruye al titular de aquella <br>  <br> secretar&iacute;a del estado de Oaxaca, para que \"asegure\", <br>  <br> el equipo de transmisi&oacute;n y las instalaciones desde <br>  <br> donde se difunde la se&ntilde;al de la Radio Comunitaria <br>  <br> Nguix&oacute;. A pesar la amenaza, los representantes de esta <br>  <br> secretaria, a&uacute;n no se han atrevido a cumplir esta <br>  <br> orden por el temor a un enfrentamiento con l@s <br>  <br> habitantes de esta comunidad, de quines existe una <br>  <br> gran aceptaci&oacute;n de la radio y se encuentran dispuest@s <br>  <br> a defenderla. <br><br>  <br>  <br> El dos mil tres, es un a&ntilde;o electoral, donde se <br>  <br> disputan puestos para diputados federales y estatales. <br>  <br> No podemos dejar de sospechar que este intento de <br>  <br> homicidio, contra Jaime Betanzos, es un intento mas <br>  <br> para preservar los privilegios de quienes ostentan el <br>  <br> poder caciquil y estatal, que adem&aacute;s poco les incomoda <br>  <br> mancharse nuevamente las manos de sangre. <br><br> Les pido a tod@s ustedes difundan esta noticia. Que <br>  <br> realicen dentro de sus posibilidades todo aquello que <br>  <br> pudiera impedir la agresi&oacute;n asesina hacia nuestros <br>  <br> compa&ntilde;eros. <br><br>  Les solicito fraternalmente, manifiesten su <br>  <br> solidaridad a la familia de Jaime, a l@s compa&ntilde;er@s de <br>  <br> la Asamblea Comunitaria y a la Radio Nguixo. <br><br>  Para ello escriban a los correos electr&oacute;nicos: <br>  <br> <a href=\"mailto:comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href=\"mailto:krulley@tutopia.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">krulley@tutopia.com<\/a> <br><br> Espero contar con m&aacute;s informaci&oacute;n al respecto durante <br>  <br> las pr&oacute;ximas horas, por lo que les solicito est&eacute;n <br>  <br> atent@s. <br><br> Reciban saludos cordiales. <br><br>   <br>  <br> ATENTADO CONTRA LIDER MAGONISTA EN LA MAZATECA <br>  <br> -OAXACA-MEXICO <br><br> LOS CACIQUES DEL PRI BALTAZAR CARRERA HERNANDEZ Y <br>  <br> FILOGENIO ZEPEDA, CUBIERTAS SUS ESPALDAS POR EL <br>  <br> GOBERNADOR DE OAXACA, JOSE MURAT, ATENTAN CONTRA LA <br>  <br> VIDA DE UNO DE LOS MAS RESISTENTES MAGONISTAS , EL <br>  <br> MAESTRO JAIME BETANZOS. <br><br> Parece que tras mas de 9 a&ntilde;os de autonomia municipal <br>  <br> india y tras mas de un a&ntilde;o de la instalacion de la <br>  <br> Radio Comunitaria y Libre Ngixo en Eloxochitlan, <br>  <br> Sierra Mazateca,Oaxaca, los caziques priistas <br>  <br> ,comandados por el siniestro Jose Murat, Gran Cazique <br>  <br> y Gobernador de Oaxaca, pretenden acallar las voces <br>  <br> libres y libertarias.  Son ya centenas los actos de <br>  <br> represion contra los indios de Oaxaca que Jose Murat <br>  <br> propicia y\/o tolera. <br>  <br> &iquest;Hasta cuando se va a seguir tolerando que los <br>  <br> asesinos y explotadores de Murat sigan reprimiendo a <br>  <br> Todos los pueblos de Oaxaca? <br><br> DE NUESTROS CORRESPONSALES EN MEXICO DF Y OAXACA: <br><br> \"EL PRESIDENTE DEL CONSEJO CENTRAL INDIGENA DE <br>  <br> ELOXOCHITLAN, <br>  <br> JAIME BETANZOS FUENTES FUE VICTIMA DE UN ATENTADO <br><br> EL DIA DE AYER SABADO 25 DE ENERO DE 2003 EL <br>  <br> PRESIDENTE DEL CONSEJO CENTRAL INDIGENA ; JAIME <br>  <br> BETANZOS FUENTES FUE VICTIMA DE UN ATENTADO HACIA SU <br>  <br> PERSONA YA QUE RECIBIO TRES BALAZOS EN EL CUERPO <br>  <br> CUANDO SE ENCONTRABA TRABAJANDO EN SU APIARIO COMO DE <br>  <br> COSTUMBRE LO HACE LOS FINES DE SEMANA. LOS AGRESORES  <br>  <br> QUE TRATARON DE ASESINARLO SON SIMPATIZANTES DEL <br>  <br> EXPRESIDENTE MUNICIPAL EUGENIO CERQUEDA,PERO SOLO <br>  <br> LOGRARON DEJARLO HERIDO QUEDANDO EL MUY GRAVE. <br><br> ESTANDO EN ESAS CONDICIONES  PUDO CAMINAR AL CENTRO DE <br>  <br> LA POBLACION PARA RECIBIR AUXILIO. AL PERCATARSE LOS <br>  <br> COMPA&Ntilde;EROS QUE HABIA SIDO HERIDO Y QUE SE ENCONTRABA <br>  <br> MUY GRAVE LO TRASLADARON INMEDIATAMENTE A LA CIUDAD DE <br>  <br> HUAUTLA DE JIMENEZ Y AHI LES DIJERON QUE  NO PODIA SER <br>  <br> ATENDIDO YA QUE NO CONTABAN CON LOS RECURSOS  ASI QUE <br>  <br> LO TRASLADARON A LA CD DE PUEBLA EN DONDE SE ENCUENTRA <br>  <br> EN ESTE MOMENTO Y VAN A OPERARLO DE EMERGENCIA, EL SE <br>  <br> ENCUENTRA EN EL HOSPITAL DEL ISSTE EN LA COLONIA SAN <br>  <br> MANUEL DE ESTA CIUDAD. <br><br> OJALA PUEDAN PASAR ESTE CORREO A SUS DEMAS CONTACTOS <br>  <br> PARA DENUNCIAR ESTE ACTO DE COBARDIA DEL CUAL FUE <br>  <br> VICTIMA JAIME <br>  <br> BETANZOS. <br><br> SEGUIMOS EN CONTACTO... <br><br> ATTE <br>  <br> Consejo Central Indigena de Eloxochitlan de Flores <br>  <br> Mag&oacute;n <br>  <br> Correos Electr&oacute;nicos: <br><br> <a href=\"mailto:comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">comunidadmazateca@hotmail.com<\/a> <a href=\"mailto:befeinti@hotmail.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">befeinti@hotmail.com<\/a> <br><br> Pagina: www.asambleamagonista.tk <br><br> SI ALGUIEN PIENSA QUE SIRVE DE ALGO ENVIAR EMAILS DE <br>  <br> PROTESTA O DENUNCIA lo puede hacer a las direcciones : <br><br> VICENTE FOX : <a href=\"mailto:radio@presidencia.gob.mx\" rel=\"nofollow\">radio@presidencia.gob.mx<\/a> <br><br> SANTIAGO CREEL, SECRET. GOBERNACION : <br>  <br> <a href=\"mailto:santiagocreel@compuserve.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">santiagocreel@compuserve.com<\/a> <br><br> JOSE MURAT : <a href=\"mailto:gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx\" rel=\"nofollow\">gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx<\/a> <br><br> <\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Information on the most recent Mexican government sponsored repression against Indigenous communities in Oaxaca.  After two shots to the chest and abdomen, Jaime Betanzos remains in serious condition.","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/02\/28224.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}