Protest Rising Prices on Gas, Water, Petrol

The PRD are leading mobilisations for a People's Economy. This action, help on February 17th, was outside the Federal Parliament, and had about 4000 people at it. Obrador, the legitimate president spoke and was very good.

There will be another mobilsation outside the banks protesting their fee hikes within two weeks. And then a massive mobilisation within a month, in the Zocolo calling for a people's economy. Obrador is damn popular, but the deputados (ministers) of the PRD are not. When he thanked the PT for coming (Workers Party, in an alliance with the PRD) there was a cheer. When he thanked the PRD deputados for coming - there was a boo amongst the crowd. There is a lot of very public fighting for positions and control within the PRD. They are seen by many, as a bit better, but the same, as the other corrupt capitalist Parties. Obrador is a member of Convergencia, which is another tendency within the PRD.

Obrador reminded people that they WON the fight to stop the privitisation of petrol - a fight that took place from 2007 onwards. The fight the mass movements did not win, was the fight against electoral fraud. Obrador is the legitimate president here - Calderon and PAN stole the elections in 2006. Mass mobilisations followed - 2.5 million strong, but the movement was not succesful.

The US put a lot of effort into controlling the politics of Mexico - Mexico is the 2nd most important country after Columbia.

Kisses, and protest

Valentines Day saw a big "Day of Kissing" concert in the main Plaza - the Zocolo. The left-wing (but corrupt say the masses)

PRD have control of D.F and therefore hold regular, free concerts Saturday nights in the city. Mexicans have a very public approach to affection. In the green grounds of UNAM, couples can be seen snogging passionatly, lying on each other and generally engaging in lots of couple cuddling.

These activities are not just for the youth. Older couples can be seen doing this in the streets too. So, big kiss-fest in the city.

There was a dynamic woman compare, two huge television screens and a camera zooming around catching couples snogging. Yikes!

Fortunatley, there was a groups of 20 lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender (LGBT) Mexicans holding a kissing protest for marriage rights. Within D.F queer couples can register their relationship. D.F is home to 40% of all Mexicans - around 21 million people. This is the work of the PRD, and while it is just a registration scheme, it is a good step. PAN and PRI are socially conservative. Fox, the former PRI candidate, has pushed for a new law in the state where he now lives, to outlaw public kissing.

On March 8th, International Women's Day, the lesbian community holds their own rally. It has taken place for 4 years now, and involves 400-600 women (and men marching at the back) in a grand display of dyke pride.

Xochimilco

An hours bus ride out from UNAM centre, is this old colonial town with lagoons and rivers throughout. The local community makes money from tourists with boat rides through the rivers.


The area also grows agricultural products - flowers and vegetables for D.F. Friends from Columbia, Germany and Holland recounted struggles in their countries and the difficulties of Spanish versus German versus English.

Student Rally

A student rally of 200 or so young rebels took place on the anniversary of the successful 1999 mass movement against fees. Vocal Trotskyist groups took to the streets with chants "PRI, PAN, PRD all the same" and "Workers, Students of the world Unite." Cops were heavy on. Two vans of the left drove behind. Students had vowed to storm the admin office, but this did not eventuate. Repression by the state did not happen on a massive level, but we were warned it could take place. Atthe moment, state repression of the social movements, seems to dominate only in outlying regions - Oaxaca and Chiapas. The struggle in D.F (Mexico City) seems to strong for repression to be a valid tactic used against leaders of the movement.

Left Unity Meeting

On Sunday, February 14th, a Marxist group held a meeting in the Santa Domingo Plaza - near the main plaza - the Zocolo. This group is a tendency within the Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD) and they support the left-wing popular newspaper La Jornada, and are big fans of Obrador - the legitimate President who was rightly elected in the 2006 elections, but whose position was stolen by the current President Calderon. Calderon is with the Party of National Action (PAN), it is the most conservative Party in Mexico and has a strong relationship with the Catholic Church.

This group are calling for a vote for the PRD in the upcoming elections - July 2009 - and are working with the best elements within the PRD to further the demands of the social movements.

The meeting held around 150 or so people within it. Three speakers gave talks about Mexican revolutionary history, the history of the PRI (Institutional Revolutionay Party) and a look at the victories within Bolivia (recent constitution), Cuba, and Venezuala.

Many brigades of the defense of the petrol campaign were within the meeting. Many old fighters. Was great to see. Fiery, upbeat, optimistic mood. A candidate of the PRD was at the meeting. A wirey, indigenous old revolutionary.

Universidad Nacional Autonomous de Mexico

UNAM has 300,000 students, and is the largest University in Mexico. It is the most important university in Latin America, and boasts, in the entire Spanish speaking world.

Geographically, its huge - a small city. It has free buses throughout the campus to transport people around. The Faculty of Economics hosts the Ho Chi Minh auditorium, with a huge painted picture of Ho Chi Minh. The Faculty of Philosophy hosts the Che Guevara auditorium.


There is a Karl Marx auditorium about as well. Economics and Philosophy faculties have regular lefty forums. A discussion in Ho Chi Minh auditorium about Marxist economics gathered 300 students.
Lots of murals adorn buildings, librarys. There is a museum in the campus, a Cultural Centre.
Politically, huge general strickes hit UNAM in 1999 when the administration tried to introduce fees and charges. They failed in their mission, and uni education is pretty much free. Although there are private uni's on the march in Mexico, and some companies don't hire anyone but privately eduacted students.