For Oaxaca, the issue of political prisoners continues to be front page news. After the events of November 20 and 25, the PFP and other police picked up Oaxacans that they believed to be tied to the APPO movement. The people arrested were charged with robbery, vandalism, violent acts, or for inciting violence. Recently, a popular festival “Día de Reyes” headlined Noticias with a photo of a sign saying, “Yo quiero ver flores y juguetes, y no policías con armas en el zócalo de Oaxaca” (I want to see flowers and toys, and no armed police in the zócalo of Oaxaca). On Día de Reyes, the children receive gifts, not from Santa Claus, but from the Three Kings to celebrate how each child is holy. However, Governor Ulises declared that no public assemblies can henceforth take place in “sensitive” large public areas (like the zocalo or the plaza at Santo Domingo). The festival usually takes place at the Santo Domingo de Guzman church, however, this time the festival was restricted access by the local government and police. Around 500 police blocked the surrounding streets and entrances to the church and the zócalo for two days, forcing people to place gifts next to the barricade. The event was moved to a nearby small plaza and two marches were held that called for the removal of Ulises and the release of political prisoners.
In addition, the families and friends of the political prisoners continue to hold marches (a march was held on the 7th on a major street) and protests outside of the prisons. Approximately 16 prisoners remain in prison. The main organization holding these events is the Comité de Familiares de Desaparecidos, Asesinados y Presos Políticos (Committee of Families of the Missing, Murdered, and Political Prisoners). Much of their campaigning is to not only get the release of the prisoners, but to bring attention to physical abuses of the prisoners.
On Saturday, Noticias reported a letter sent on the 4th of January from a detained APPO member describing sexual and other physical abuses that he has suffered in prison. The letter is below and my translation follows (please email me if you see errors in the translation):
“Soy Christian Cebollero, estudiante de la UNAM y preso político junto con 18 hermanos de lucha al interior del CERESO. Fui detenido injusta e ilegalmente al igual que muchísimos compañeros el pasado 25 de noviembre en el Centro Histórico de Oaxaca de Juárez por la PFP.
Quiero hacer del conocimiento público que desde nuestra detención fuimos golpeados indiscriminadamente y sin razón alguna por la PFP, los golpes fueron no sólo a los hombres jóvenes, sino también a hombres y mujeres de edad avanzada.
También fuimos torturados físicamente con posiciones de detención cerca de 10 horas, así como tortura psicológica a través de múltiples amenazas. Pero no sólo eso, sino que muchos compañeros hombres fueron obligados a realizar sexo oral y anal a los policías que nos trasladaron desde el aeropuerto de Tepic, Nayarit, hacia el CEFERESO número 4. Todo sucedió mientras todos los hombres nos encontrábamos dentro del camión que estaba estacionado esperando a que todas las mujeres entraran al CEFERESO. Todo eso duró aproximadamente 2 horas y 30 minutos el día 26 de noviembre. Todo fue preparado, los policías iban preparados y llevaban condones.
Y a parte de todo eso y muchas otras cosas más, URO (Ulises Ruiz Ortiz) quiere que en contra de nuestra voluntad firmemos documentos en los cuales demos la espalda y traicionemos no solo a las organizaciones sociales solidarias, sino sobre todo el heroísmo del pueblo que incansablemente exige nuestra libertad.
Quiero enérgicamente decirle a URO y Fox (Vicente Fox Quesada) que chinguen a … por represores, autoritarios y asesinos, que no voy a firmarles ni madres, no me arrepiento de nada y si salgo libre seguiré haciendo lo que venía haciendo.
¡Ni perdón ni olvido!
¡Fuera URO y Felipe Calderón!
¡Libertad inmediata e incondicional de TODOS los presos políticos de México!”
I am Christian Cebollero, student at UNAM [Autonomous University of Mexico] and a political prisoner together with 18 brothers of the fight inside CERESO. I was unjustly and illegally arrested just like many compañeros of the past November 25th at the Historic Center of Oaxaca de Juarez by the PFP [Federal Preventive Police].
I want to make it publicly known that since our arrest we were indiscriminately hit and without any reason by the PFP, young men were not the only ones hit, older men and women were also beaten.
Also we were physically tortured in detention for nearly 10 hours, as well as psychologically tortured through multiple threats. But not only that, many male compañeros were forced to have oral and anal sex with the police officers that transferred us from the airport of Tepic, Nayarit to CEFERSO number four. All of this happened when the men found us when were waiting inside a bus waiting while the women entered the CEFERSO. This happened for approximately two hours and thirty minutes on November 26th. Everyone was prepared; the police were prepared and carried condoms.
And among other things, URO ([Governor]Ulises Ruiz Ortiz) wants us to voluntarily sign documents against our will in which we turn our back and betray not only the supportive social organizations but also our heroic people that tirelessly require our liberty
I want to energetically tell URO and Fox (Vicente Fox Quesada) that fuck to…the repressors, authorities, and murderers, and that I am not going to sign them [sp]. I do not repent anything and if I leave free I will continue doing what I was doing.
Never forgive, never forget!
Get out URO and Felipe Calderon!
Immediate unconditional freedom to ALL of the political prisoners of México!
Also, be sure to read this report from professional architect, Porfirio Domínguez Muñozcano, who was detained and beaten on November 25th as he left his business–and not partaking in the protest.
The many reports of human rights abuses have sparked a delegation of concerned activists, reporters, and academics from various countries to visit Oaxaca and speak to those affected by these abuses. The delegation is organized by la Comisión Civil Internacional de Observadores de los Derechos Humanos (The International Civil Commission of Observers of Human Rights). The Commission has compiled 200 reports of human rights abuses. I received an email about this delegation over a month ago. They wanted people to be observers of the abuses and then tell others about what has happened. No matter our feelings on APPO, the human rights abuses are obvious and obscene, and they need to be addressed and stopped. We have to wonder, then, why it is so difficult to learn about what is happening. The few reports I read are almost always in Spanish and in an Oaxacan newspaper. International attention was only brought to Oaxaca when NY Indymedia reporter Brad Will was murdered while covering the APPO story. I never saw many reporters while I was in Oaxaca, even during its highest point of media attention. And like always…reporters leave, and our attention moves elsewhere.
And, yes, you can still write a letter.
Thousands of Mexicans have marched to demand a sufficient supply of affordable tortillas. Since the implementation of NAFTA, Mexico has relied on the cheap importation of U.S. corn. However, the prices of tortillas has recently increased by over 400%. Some blame the increase on the demand of corn to produce environmentally friendly biofuel. Others blame the lack of support for internal agricultural corn cultivation. 
A name change would seem to be a small thing, but not in Mexico, where whatever name you’re born with is your name for life. Consider the saga of Senadora Yeidckol Polevnsky (the PRD used to call Carlos Salinas “the unmentionable”.. the PRI refers to her as “the unpronouncable”), who was nearly disqualified as a candidate when she ran for Governor of the State of Mexico on the PRD ticket, because of a name change. Power, politics, child-abuse all factored in something very rare .. a court recognizing a name change. 
NAFTA gave control of corn production to the United States. The deal struck between the U.S. and Mexico allows the U.S. to export its corn (mostly genetically modified) to the people that first used it (Mexico) and in return, Mexico was promised job opportunities through an increase of factories placed throughout Mexico. However, the majority of the factories continue to be placed along the border, increasing the displacement of families and the unemployment of rural farmers. So already, the recent state of corn in Mexico has disadvantaged farmers and decreased the diversity of corn seeds. And now, reports claim that the price of tortillas has gone up 10 pesos per kilo in some parts of the country. And this can be blaimed in part on the rising cost of corn. El Universal reports: “‘Corn costs 100 percent more than it did a year ago,” said Rafael Ortega Sánchez, director of the National Chamber of the Cornmeal and Tortilla Production Industry.” 
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