Blockades Close Chiapas in Defense of Oaxaca

Thousands of Indigenous Civilians from Zapatista Communities Successfully Stop Traffic on All Major Roads and Highways in the Highlands and Jungle Regions

By Al Giordano
The Other Journalism with the Other Campaign in Chiapas

November 20, 2006

Thousands of indigenous residents of Chiapas – civilian support bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN, in its Spanish initials) – have successfully blocked all major roads and highways in the state in defense of the people of neighboring Oaxaca state.

Zapatista civilian bases blockade passage from San Cristóbal de Las Casas at the entrance to the route that connects the city with Comitán, Ocosingo and Palenque. Photo: D.R. 2006 Oscar Beard

Narco News has confirmed that the blockades, begun at 5:00 a.m. on Monday, November 20, have stopped traffic along the following routes:

• Tuxtla Gutiérrez – San Cristobal (toll highway)


• Tuxtla Gutiérrez – San Cristóbal (old route)


• San Cristóbal – Comitán


• San Cristóbal – Chamula


• San Cristóbal – Tenejapa


• San Cristóbal – Simojovel


• Ocosingo – San Cristóbal


• Palenque – Ocosingo

Yet unconfirmed: As of last night, plans had been made to blockade the coastal routes, including the Pan-American highway, at various points from Tapachula to the Oaxaca border.

At each of the blockade points, hundreds to thousands of masked Zapatista civilians stand silently in formation across the road or highway…

The blockades are kept for intervals of 45 minutes, then allowing 15 minutes for traffic to pass.

A national holiday commemorating the Mexican revolution of 1910, November 20 is normally a date of extraordinary travel, especially to tourist meccas like the mountain city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas. But there, this morning, many businesses that would normally be open at these hours were closed; a result of employees either deciding to respect the “national strike” in defense of Oaxaca called for today, or simply unable to get to work due to the blockades. The streets of the former state capital are uncharacteristically quiet with little traffic.

Developing…

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