Masked protesters with machetes forced passengers off a city bus and set it ablaze Thursday in this southern Mexican city held hostage by demonstrations and violence.
The violence came as teachers were expected to vote on ending a strike that has kept 1.3 million children from going to school for five months. But by Thursday afternoon, they had been unable to reach an agreement.
Bystanders were able to put out the flames on the burning bus and no one was injured.
Oaxaca has been on edge since late May, when teachers walked off the job to demand better salaries and benefits. The strike turned into a broad movement after police attacked the strikers in the city's colonial center the next month.
Sympathizers from varied left-leaning groups joined the teachers, and have built barricades, taken over radio stations and newspaper offices, driven out police and other state authorities and scared away tourists from this city popular for its handicrafts, cuisine and colonial architecture.
Chief among their demands is the removal of state Gov. Ulises Ruiz, whom they accuse of rigging his own election and sending armed thugs against protesters. He denies the charges and has refused to step down.
At least five people have been killed in violence related to the protests.
Because there are no police patrols, masked and armed protesters roam the streets, seizing anyone they suspect of criminal activity. Often, they grab young men accused of trying to commit various crimes, tie them up for hours and beat them.
Also Thursday, protesters retreated from one of the radio stations they seized in August. Protest leader Florentino Lopez said the government had disrupted the transmission and they were no longer able to broadcast their messages.
The state government has repeatedly asked federal authorities to send in troops, but President Vicente Fox has instead tried to broker peace negotiations that have made little progress.
Some teachers have defied the union and opened schools, but protesters often block children and their parents from returning to classes.
Protesters have pledged to blockade highways, beef up barricades and boycott commercial centers Friday. If Ruiz doesn't step down, they say they will try to keep President-elect Felipe Calderon from taking office on Dec. 1.
Monday, January 8, 2007
October 25, 2006: Protests erode the rule of law in Mexico's Oaxaca state
With virtually no police in the streets, residents of this colonial town in rebellion are stepping in to fill the void often with brutal consequences.
People accused of being thieves are tied to light posts and beaten, one home was torched and a man was stabbed to death with an ice pick as five months of protests erode the rule of law in what was once a major Mexican tourist destination.
The beating of Manuel Dominguez was the latest example of how far Oaxaca has spun out of control as mobs of striking teachers, farmers and other protesters demand that Gov. Ulises Ruiz step down. They accuse Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of repressing dissent with violence.
Late Tuesday, about 50 people stripped off Dominguez's T-shirt, lashed him to a pole and beat him nearly unconscious. They accused Dominguez, who works as a security guard at a local jail, of trying to rob a house. The crowd left him tied up overnight, finally turning him over to the few police left in town early Wednesday.
For police commander Aristeo Lopez, it was just another public beating. Lopez acknowledged he didn't know how the guard was doing nearly 12 hours after the attack.
"We haven't had time to check what happened to him," he said.
Because there are no police patrols, masked and armed protesters roam the streets, seizing anyone they suspect of criminal activity.
Often, they grab young men accused of trying to commit various crimes, tie them up for hours and beat them.
The conflict began in June, when police attacked striking teachers in the city's colonial center. Protesters rebelled, forcing police and other state authorities out of downtown, taking over television and radio outlets and scaring away tourists drawn to the region by its colonial architecture, Indian culture and handicrafts such as brightly colored wool rugs and black pottery.
The state government has repeatedly asked federal authorities to send in troops, but President Vicente Fox has instead tried to broker peace negotiations that have made little progress.
The conflict comes at the end of Fox's six-year term, which has been marked by protests that spun out of control while the president has watched, reluctant to crack down for fear of provoking more violence.
On Wednesday, teachers said they would release the results of a vote to end a strike that has kept about 1.3 million students out of school for months.
Some teachers have defied the union and opened schools, but masked protesters often block children and their parents from returning to classes.
At the Francisco Zarco school, some parents armed with sticks and metal pipes have kept guard outside to keep protesters away.
Early this week at the same school, as a machete-wielding masked man kept children from entering, 8-year-old Luis Carlos Matus asked his mother: "Mama, don't the protesters like children?"
Many worry they could inadvertently become victims.
"We are afraid that the protesters will get confused and kill us," said Ana Maria Cruz, interviewed outside the school.
On Oct. 5, a teacher opposed to the strike, Jaime Rene Calvo Aragon, was killed by two assailants who stabbed him in the neck with an ice pick. His attackers are still at large.
Four others have been killed by police or armed groups in other violence.
In August, protesters set fire to a house after the owners began arguing with a demonstrator who was urinating outside the home. The demonstrator rallied a mob by accusing the occupants of the home of trying to attack him, and the crowd responded by torching the house. The occupants escaped unharmed, but the house was destroyed.
Protesters have attacked about 20 police officers, beating them and accusing them of crimes before handing them over to authorities. Lino Celaya, Oaxaca state security secretary, said none of them was found to have broken the law.
The conflict seems to be far from over. Protesters have pledged to block highways, beef up blockades and boycott commercial centers this Friday. If Ruiz doesn't step down, they say they will try to keep President-elect Felipe Calderon from taking office on Dec. 1.
Ruiz has refused to leave office.
"I'm not going to cancel my visits. I take care not to hurt other people but there are a lot of people who want to see me," he told The Associated Press. "I have killed nobody. My hands are clean."
People accused of being thieves are tied to light posts and beaten, one home was torched and a man was stabbed to death with an ice pick as five months of protests erode the rule of law in what was once a major Mexican tourist destination.
The beating of Manuel Dominguez was the latest example of how far Oaxaca has spun out of control as mobs of striking teachers, farmers and other protesters demand that Gov. Ulises Ruiz step down. They accuse Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of repressing dissent with violence.
Late Tuesday, about 50 people stripped off Dominguez's T-shirt, lashed him to a pole and beat him nearly unconscious. They accused Dominguez, who works as a security guard at a local jail, of trying to rob a house. The crowd left him tied up overnight, finally turning him over to the few police left in town early Wednesday.
For police commander Aristeo Lopez, it was just another public beating. Lopez acknowledged he didn't know how the guard was doing nearly 12 hours after the attack.
"We haven't had time to check what happened to him," he said.
Because there are no police patrols, masked and armed protesters roam the streets, seizing anyone they suspect of criminal activity.
Often, they grab young men accused of trying to commit various crimes, tie them up for hours and beat them.
The conflict began in June, when police attacked striking teachers in the city's colonial center. Protesters rebelled, forcing police and other state authorities out of downtown, taking over television and radio outlets and scaring away tourists drawn to the region by its colonial architecture, Indian culture and handicrafts such as brightly colored wool rugs and black pottery.
The state government has repeatedly asked federal authorities to send in troops, but President Vicente Fox has instead tried to broker peace negotiations that have made little progress.
The conflict comes at the end of Fox's six-year term, which has been marked by protests that spun out of control while the president has watched, reluctant to crack down for fear of provoking more violence.
On Wednesday, teachers said they would release the results of a vote to end a strike that has kept about 1.3 million students out of school for months.
Some teachers have defied the union and opened schools, but masked protesters often block children and their parents from returning to classes.
At the Francisco Zarco school, some parents armed with sticks and metal pipes have kept guard outside to keep protesters away.
Early this week at the same school, as a machete-wielding masked man kept children from entering, 8-year-old Luis Carlos Matus asked his mother: "Mama, don't the protesters like children?"
Many worry they could inadvertently become victims.
"We are afraid that the protesters will get confused and kill us," said Ana Maria Cruz, interviewed outside the school.
On Oct. 5, a teacher opposed to the strike, Jaime Rene Calvo Aragon, was killed by two assailants who stabbed him in the neck with an ice pick. His attackers are still at large.
Four others have been killed by police or armed groups in other violence.
In August, protesters set fire to a house after the owners began arguing with a demonstrator who was urinating outside the home. The demonstrator rallied a mob by accusing the occupants of the home of trying to attack him, and the crowd responded by torching the house. The occupants escaped unharmed, but the house was destroyed.
Protesters have attacked about 20 police officers, beating them and accusing them of crimes before handing them over to authorities. Lino Celaya, Oaxaca state security secretary, said none of them was found to have broken the law.
The conflict seems to be far from over. Protesters have pledged to block highways, beef up blockades and boycott commercial centers this Friday. If Ruiz doesn't step down, they say they will try to keep President-elect Felipe Calderon from taking office on Dec. 1.
Ruiz has refused to leave office.
"I'm not going to cancel my visits. I take care not to hurt other people but there are a lot of people who want to see me," he told The Associated Press. "I have killed nobody. My hands are clean."
October 25, 2006: Crowd lashes man to post, beats him for alleged burglary in restive southern Mexican state
About 50 people lashed a policeman to a light post and beat him because he was allegedly caught trying to rob a house, the latest in a string of public beatings of suspected thieves in the restive southern state of Oaxaca.
It was unclear whether the crowd released the alleged burglar, Manuel Dominguez, after the beating late Tuesday. Dominguez was identified by his police badge.
"We haven't had time to check what happened to him," local police director Aristeo Lopez said Wednesday.
Authorities have been kicked out of the center of the tourist city 350 kilometers (220 miles) southeast of Mexico City. Police occupy only a few neighborhoods, and have lost control of the city as a whole.
Protesters are demanding the resignation of Gov. Ulises Ruiz, whom they accuse of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of repressing dissent with violence.
The protests began in May when teachers went on strike to demand higher wages. In June, police attacked a demonstration and the teachers took up the call for Ruiz to step down.
On Wednesday, the teachers were to release the results of a vote on whether to return to classes. Previous votes have failed, and the strike has kept schools closed for months.
Some teachers have defied the union and tried to open some schools. But masked protesters have been blocking children and their parents as they try to return to classes.
Also Tuesday, police clashed with protesters in Cosolapa, firing automatic weapons into the air to scatter a crowd protesting Ruiz's visit to the town. No one was injured, but television images showed people ducking for cover behind buildings as police fired repeatedly.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Ruiz said the protesters had thrown firecrackers at the police, forcing them to respond.
Despite public threats against him, Ruiz said he knows of no direct threats against his life. He has refused to step down.
"I'm not going to cancel my visits. I take care not to hurt other people but there are a lot of people who want to see me," Ruiz said. "I have killed nobody. My hands are clean."
Protest leader Florentino Lopez promised to increase actions against the governor after the shooting, saying federal roads would be blocked.
Five people have been killed by police or armed groups, including a teacher who was hacked to death by ice picks. The unrest has scared away tourists, costing the city more than US$300 million (euro238 million), according to local business associations.
Ruiz repeatedly has called on the federal government to send in the army to restore order. But President Vicente Fox's administration has so far refused, saying it prefers to negotiate.
On Tuesday, federal Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said he has arrest warrants for 10 protesters for damaging federal property.
A group of 50 teachers went to the United Nations office in Mexico City on Tuesday to demand the international body intervene and ask Ruiz to step down.
UNICEF has called on all parties to resolve the conflict and allow children to return to school.
It was unclear whether the crowd released the alleged burglar, Manuel Dominguez, after the beating late Tuesday. Dominguez was identified by his police badge.
"We haven't had time to check what happened to him," local police director Aristeo Lopez said Wednesday.
Authorities have been kicked out of the center of the tourist city 350 kilometers (220 miles) southeast of Mexico City. Police occupy only a few neighborhoods, and have lost control of the city as a whole.
Protesters are demanding the resignation of Gov. Ulises Ruiz, whom they accuse of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of repressing dissent with violence.
The protests began in May when teachers went on strike to demand higher wages. In June, police attacked a demonstration and the teachers took up the call for Ruiz to step down.
On Wednesday, the teachers were to release the results of a vote on whether to return to classes. Previous votes have failed, and the strike has kept schools closed for months.
Some teachers have defied the union and tried to open some schools. But masked protesters have been blocking children and their parents as they try to return to classes.
Also Tuesday, police clashed with protesters in Cosolapa, firing automatic weapons into the air to scatter a crowd protesting Ruiz's visit to the town. No one was injured, but television images showed people ducking for cover behind buildings as police fired repeatedly.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Ruiz said the protesters had thrown firecrackers at the police, forcing them to respond.
Despite public threats against him, Ruiz said he knows of no direct threats against his life. He has refused to step down.
"I'm not going to cancel my visits. I take care not to hurt other people but there are a lot of people who want to see me," Ruiz said. "I have killed nobody. My hands are clean."
Protest leader Florentino Lopez promised to increase actions against the governor after the shooting, saying federal roads would be blocked.
Five people have been killed by police or armed groups, including a teacher who was hacked to death by ice picks. The unrest has scared away tourists, costing the city more than US$300 million (euro238 million), according to local business associations.
Ruiz repeatedly has called on the federal government to send in the army to restore order. But President Vicente Fox's administration has so far refused, saying it prefers to negotiate.
On Tuesday, federal Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said he has arrest warrants for 10 protesters for damaging federal property.
A group of 50 teachers went to the United Nations office in Mexico City on Tuesday to demand the international body intervene and ask Ruiz to step down.
UNICEF has called on all parties to resolve the conflict and allow children to return to school.
October 23, 2006: Strike vote divides teachers in besieged Mexican city, prolonging protests
Striking teachers in this southern Mexican city remained divided over whether to end a five-month walkout, prolonging protests that have triggered violent clashes and driven tourists out of this historic city.
After an all-night meeting in a Oaxaca hotel, a majority of union delegates voted Sunday morning to end the strike, which is affecting 1.3 million children across Oaxaca state. But the vote was quickly annulled by advocates of continuing the strike who alleged manipulated by union leader Enrique Rueda, who has called for the teachers to get back to work.
Teachers now plan to meet to hold another vote in the coming days.
Leftist protesters surrounded the hotel waving banners calling Rueda a "traitor" and "sellout" and threw stones at him when he entered the meeting. He was guarded as he left.
Late Sunday, Mexico's Interior Department released a statement urging teachers to go back to work to allow Oaxacan children to return to school.
Teachers began their strike in May to demand better pay and work conditions in one of Mexico's poorest states.
In June, police attacked one of their demonstrations in this colonial city, 350 kilometers (220 miles) southeast of the Mexican capital, and the teachers added to their demands the resignation of Oaxaca Gov. Ulises Ruiz.
Soon they were joined by leftists, students and Indian groups, who accuse Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of sending armed thugs against his opponents.
The protesters blocked streets, chased police out of the center of the city, burned buses and took over radio stations.
Five people have been killed by police or armed groups. The unrest has scared away tourists, costing the city more than US$300 million (euro238 million), according to local business associations.
On Thursday, the federal Senate voted that there were no grounds to remove Ruiz from office. On Saturday, about 1,000 protesters marched to the Senate headquarters in Mexico City to condemn the decision, saying it could to lead to more violence.
Ruiz repeatedly has called on the federal government to send in the army to restore order but President Vicente Fox's administration has so far refused, saying it prefers to negotiate.
Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal has asked protesters to let local police under federal command patrol the city. The protesters have not yet responded.
After an all-night meeting in a Oaxaca hotel, a majority of union delegates voted Sunday morning to end the strike, which is affecting 1.3 million children across Oaxaca state. But the vote was quickly annulled by advocates of continuing the strike who alleged manipulated by union leader Enrique Rueda, who has called for the teachers to get back to work.
Teachers now plan to meet to hold another vote in the coming days.
Leftist protesters surrounded the hotel waving banners calling Rueda a "traitor" and "sellout" and threw stones at him when he entered the meeting. He was guarded as he left.
Late Sunday, Mexico's Interior Department released a statement urging teachers to go back to work to allow Oaxacan children to return to school.
Teachers began their strike in May to demand better pay and work conditions in one of Mexico's poorest states.
In June, police attacked one of their demonstrations in this colonial city, 350 kilometers (220 miles) southeast of the Mexican capital, and the teachers added to their demands the resignation of Oaxaca Gov. Ulises Ruiz.
Soon they were joined by leftists, students and Indian groups, who accuse Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and of sending armed thugs against his opponents.
The protesters blocked streets, chased police out of the center of the city, burned buses and took over radio stations.
Five people have been killed by police or armed groups. The unrest has scared away tourists, costing the city more than US$300 million (euro238 million), according to local business associations.
On Thursday, the federal Senate voted that there were no grounds to remove Ruiz from office. On Saturday, about 1,000 protesters marched to the Senate headquarters in Mexico City to condemn the decision, saying it could to lead to more violence.
Ruiz repeatedly has called on the federal government to send in the army to restore order but President Vicente Fox's administration has so far refused, saying it prefers to negotiate.
Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal has asked protesters to let local police under federal command patrol the city. The protesters have not yet responded.
October 21, 2006: Embattled Mexican governor predicts Oaxaca takeover will end within a week
Oaxaca's embattled governor on Friday predicted that the takeover of this colonial city by protesters trying to oust him will end within a week, as a coalition of radical leftists and striking teachers appeared to be splintering.
Protesters demanding that Oaxaca Gov. Ulises Ruiz resign have barricaded streets, burned buses and occupied government buildings and radio stations in Oaxaca city, 220 miles (350 kilometers) southeast of the Mexican capital, since late May.
The protesters have driven police from the city, and violence related to the strike killed at least five people and devastated the city's tourism industry.
"I think that in the coming days, in the next week, the conflict will be resolved," Ruiz told reporters Friday. "Oaxaca can't go on like this."
His comments came a day after the Senate decided that there were no grounds to remove him from office the last legal recourse for protesters, who accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and sending thugs against the strikers. Ruiz denies the accusations.
Union chief Enrique Rueda said following the vote that Oaxaca's teachers would return to work by the end of October, a move that could weaken the alliance of teachers and various leftist groups who joined the demonstrations after Ruiz sent police to try to dislodge the protests.
Many remain convinced the protests should continue, however, and leftists who have taken over private radio stations in Oaxaca broadcast diatribes on Friday calling Rueda a "traitor" and a "sellout."
Oaxaca city residents, meanwhile, welcomed the news of a possible end to the conflict.
"It's gone on too long," said Joel Ayala Dominguez, the owner of a tortilla shop near the city's occupied main square.
The federal government has been loath to intervene, fearing bloodshed, but Ruiz said it was a simple matter of enforcing the law.
"It's not about evicting people or engaging in repression, it's a question of enforcing order, because we've reached the limit," said Ruiz.
Also Friday, Mexico's Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal repeated an earlier offer to have local police under federal command patrol the city.
Both the teachers and the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca, or APPO, which is overseeing the protests, are to hold meetings to analyze their next move.
Rueda said, however, that the union would continue to support the assembly in pressing for Ruiz's resignation; how it would do so or whether that meant pulling teachers out of the protest camps would be decided at the groups' meetings
The protesters and teachers had previously vowed not to consider any other offers from government negotiators including wage raises for teachers, and federal control of the widely distrusted local police until Ruiz left office.
Federal officials have said they want a peaceful, negotiated end to the conflict. But pressure is mounting for a rapid solution, because the dispute has scared off tourists and hurt businesses in the state, as well as keeping 1.3 million schoolchildren in Oaxaca out of classes.
Protesters demanding that Oaxaca Gov. Ulises Ruiz resign have barricaded streets, burned buses and occupied government buildings and radio stations in Oaxaca city, 220 miles (350 kilometers) southeast of the Mexican capital, since late May.
The protesters have driven police from the city, and violence related to the strike killed at least five people and devastated the city's tourism industry.
"I think that in the coming days, in the next week, the conflict will be resolved," Ruiz told reporters Friday. "Oaxaca can't go on like this."
His comments came a day after the Senate decided that there were no grounds to remove him from office the last legal recourse for protesters, who accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and sending thugs against the strikers. Ruiz denies the accusations.
Union chief Enrique Rueda said following the vote that Oaxaca's teachers would return to work by the end of October, a move that could weaken the alliance of teachers and various leftist groups who joined the demonstrations after Ruiz sent police to try to dislodge the protests.
Many remain convinced the protests should continue, however, and leftists who have taken over private radio stations in Oaxaca broadcast diatribes on Friday calling Rueda a "traitor" and a "sellout."
Oaxaca city residents, meanwhile, welcomed the news of a possible end to the conflict.
"It's gone on too long," said Joel Ayala Dominguez, the owner of a tortilla shop near the city's occupied main square.
The federal government has been loath to intervene, fearing bloodshed, but Ruiz said it was a simple matter of enforcing the law.
"It's not about evicting people or engaging in repression, it's a question of enforcing order, because we've reached the limit," said Ruiz.
Also Friday, Mexico's Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal repeated an earlier offer to have local police under federal command patrol the city.
Both the teachers and the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca, or APPO, which is overseeing the protests, are to hold meetings to analyze their next move.
Rueda said, however, that the union would continue to support the assembly in pressing for Ruiz's resignation; how it would do so or whether that meant pulling teachers out of the protest camps would be decided at the groups' meetings
The protesters and teachers had previously vowed not to consider any other offers from government negotiators including wage raises for teachers, and federal control of the widely distrusted local police until Ruiz left office.
Federal officials have said they want a peaceful, negotiated end to the conflict. But pressure is mounting for a rapid solution, because the dispute has scared off tourists and hurt businesses in the state, as well as keeping 1.3 million schoolchildren in Oaxaca out of classes.
October 17, 2006: Activists block government buildings in southern Mexico state
Leftist activists blockaded government offices across the southern state of Oaxaca on Tuesday to pressure federal senators to remove the state's embattled governor.
The protests came as lawmakers in Mexico City met to consider sending a bill to the Senate that could remove Gov. Ulises Ruiz on the grounds that he has lost control of his state.
More than 2,000 protesters from the Oaxaca People's Assembly have blocked Oaxaca's colonial state capital for months, building barricades, burning buses and taking over radio stations. The police have effectively been run out of town.
Oaxaca activists have camped out in Mexico City to support their demands and on Monday about 20 of them began a hunger strike.
Tuesday's blockades in seven Oaxaca towns were carried out by hundreds of activists from the assembly, a mix of trade unionists and leftists. The protesters accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and sending groups of thugs against opponents.
The senate is divided along party lines over the issue.
Members of Ruiz's Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, oppose removing their governor, saying it would set a precedent that violent protests can overthrow elected officials.
Senators from the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, however, argue that Ruiz is provoking bloodshed and has to be removed.
Three protesters have been killed in clashes with police, soldiers or armed gangs.
Ruiz's fate likely rests with Mexico's third major political party, the conservative National Action Party of President Vicente Fox. National Action senators on Tuesday said they needed more to time to determine their position.
The protests have scared most tourists away from Oaxaca popular for its colonial architecture and unique cuisine costing the city hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) in lost earnings.
Ruiz has called for the federal government to send troops to forcibly remove the protesters, a demand that has been refused so far.
"The government's actions will never leave out dialogue," Abascal said Monday.
The Oaxaca protests began with a teachers strike to demand higher pay in May but expanded into a broad-based movement after police attacked one of the strikers' demonstrations.
The strike has stopped 1.3 million children from going to classes for months.
National teachers union president Elba Esther Gordillo has criticized the protests and threatened to expel the Oaxaca section.
Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said Tuesday that Fox supports granting the teachers' demand for wage increases, not just for Oaxaca, but for all educators in poor states. However, the administration believes a raise should be phased in over six years, and it's not clear whether protesters would accept that.
The protests came as lawmakers in Mexico City met to consider sending a bill to the Senate that could remove Gov. Ulises Ruiz on the grounds that he has lost control of his state.
More than 2,000 protesters from the Oaxaca People's Assembly have blocked Oaxaca's colonial state capital for months, building barricades, burning buses and taking over radio stations. The police have effectively been run out of town.
Oaxaca activists have camped out in Mexico City to support their demands and on Monday about 20 of them began a hunger strike.
Tuesday's blockades in seven Oaxaca towns were carried out by hundreds of activists from the assembly, a mix of trade unionists and leftists. The protesters accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and sending groups of thugs against opponents.
The senate is divided along party lines over the issue.
Members of Ruiz's Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, oppose removing their governor, saying it would set a precedent that violent protests can overthrow elected officials.
Senators from the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, however, argue that Ruiz is provoking bloodshed and has to be removed.
Three protesters have been killed in clashes with police, soldiers or armed gangs.
Ruiz's fate likely rests with Mexico's third major political party, the conservative National Action Party of President Vicente Fox. National Action senators on Tuesday said they needed more to time to determine their position.
The protests have scared most tourists away from Oaxaca popular for its colonial architecture and unique cuisine costing the city hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) in lost earnings.
Ruiz has called for the federal government to send troops to forcibly remove the protesters, a demand that has been refused so far.
"The government's actions will never leave out dialogue," Abascal said Monday.
The Oaxaca protests began with a teachers strike to demand higher pay in May but expanded into a broad-based movement after police attacked one of the strikers' demonstrations.
The strike has stopped 1.3 million children from going to classes for months.
National teachers union president Elba Esther Gordillo has criticized the protests and threatened to expel the Oaxaca section.
Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said Tuesday that Fox supports granting the teachers' demand for wage increases, not just for Oaxaca, but for all educators in poor states. However, the administration believes a raise should be phased in over six years, and it's not clear whether protesters would accept that.
October 15, 2006: Mexico arrests soldier in killing of protester
Authorities on Sunday arrested a soldier accused of opening fire on a street barricade in this protest-besieged southern Mexican city, killing one demonstrator and wounding another.
The soldier identified as Jonathan Rios, assigned to a state army barracks, was detained and questioned before dawn for the shooting, which investigators blame on a drunken argument that had nothing to do with the political dispute that has paralyzed Oaxaca for months.
But protesters who have blockaded streets to call for the ouster of state Gov. Ulises Ruiz said Rios' alleged involvement was proof that state authorities have sent undercover police and soldiers to attack them.
According to a police report, Rios and three other men were driving away from a bar around 2 a.m. Saturday when they came across one of the roadblocks. After demonstrators refused to let them pass, investigator say, Rios climbed from the car and began shooting.
Alejandro Garcia, 41, was shot in the head and died that afternoon in a hospital, while 19-year-old Marco Antonio Joaquin was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder and released.
Protest leaders blamed the shootings on Ruiz's government and vowed further unrest if Garcia died. But the streets of Oaxaca were quiet Sunday afternoon, even after news of Garcia's death and the arrest of a soldier spread.
Friends, family members and fellow protesters held a candlelight vigil in the city's central plaza late Saturday and planned a massive funeral for late Sunday.
Garcia was at least the fourth person killed in the five-month-old disturbances in Oaxaca. Two protesters have been shot to death in clashes with police, and last week a teacher was killed by attackers wielding an ice pick. Colleagues said they believed he was slain because he opposed the strike.
Oaxaca, the capital city of the state of the same name, has been on the verge of chaos since May, when striking teachers seized the central plaza to demand wage increases.
After police tried and failed retake the heart of the city the following month, the teachers were joined by various groups of leftists, students and anarchists, building street barricades, burning buses and taking over radio and television stations.
They accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and using paramilitary gangs to attack dissidents. Negotiations between protesters and Mexico's federal government have so far failed to end the standoff.
Ruiz denies the charges and has called for federal troops to restore order.
The soldier identified as Jonathan Rios, assigned to a state army barracks, was detained and questioned before dawn for the shooting, which investigators blame on a drunken argument that had nothing to do with the political dispute that has paralyzed Oaxaca for months.
But protesters who have blockaded streets to call for the ouster of state Gov. Ulises Ruiz said Rios' alleged involvement was proof that state authorities have sent undercover police and soldiers to attack them.
According to a police report, Rios and three other men were driving away from a bar around 2 a.m. Saturday when they came across one of the roadblocks. After demonstrators refused to let them pass, investigator say, Rios climbed from the car and began shooting.
Alejandro Garcia, 41, was shot in the head and died that afternoon in a hospital, while 19-year-old Marco Antonio Joaquin was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder and released.
Protest leaders blamed the shootings on Ruiz's government and vowed further unrest if Garcia died. But the streets of Oaxaca were quiet Sunday afternoon, even after news of Garcia's death and the arrest of a soldier spread.
Friends, family members and fellow protesters held a candlelight vigil in the city's central plaza late Saturday and planned a massive funeral for late Sunday.
Garcia was at least the fourth person killed in the five-month-old disturbances in Oaxaca. Two protesters have been shot to death in clashes with police, and last week a teacher was killed by attackers wielding an ice pick. Colleagues said they believed he was slain because he opposed the strike.
Oaxaca, the capital city of the state of the same name, has been on the verge of chaos since May, when striking teachers seized the central plaza to demand wage increases.
After police tried and failed retake the heart of the city the following month, the teachers were joined by various groups of leftists, students and anarchists, building street barricades, burning buses and taking over radio and television stations.
They accuse Ruiz of rigging his 2004 election and using paramilitary gangs to attack dissidents. Negotiations between protesters and Mexico's federal government have so far failed to end the standoff.
Ruiz denies the charges and has called for federal troops to restore order.
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