MEXICO: Statement in the Face of the IEEPO Removal

Read Spanish version from La Izquierda Diario Mexico, July 22

Statement of the Movimiento de Trabajadores Socialistas (MTS, Socialist Workers Movement) from Mexico.

We reject the attack against the local 22 of the teachers Union CNTE of eliminating the State Public Education Institute of Oaxaca, known as IEEPO, and reject the creation of a new body under a new law aimed to prosecute and punish the education workers who mobilize against the labor reform of Peña Nieto in the state.

On July 21, the governor of Oaxaca, Gabino Cue, and Emilio Chuayffet, Secretary of Public Education, backed by the federal government, issued the decree regarding the disappearance of IEEPO during a press conference; while the National Guard occupied the premises of the IEEPO.

Cue’s government, along with the federal government, deployed a strong military operation to occupy the premises of the IEEPO, sending 3,500 members of the National Guard and the Federal Police.

This attack also involves laying off more than 300 workers in education and aims to hurt one of the bastions of democratic teachers against the educational reform.

In addition, this attack comes amidst the emergence of a strong mobilization of teachers, with new sectors being mobilized by the teachers union CNTE, opposing the implementation of teacher evaluation.

This is an attack on all the teachers who mobilized in recent weeks from Chihuahua to Jalisco and Yucatan to protest teacher evaluation. The government seeks to dismantle the teachers union CNTE, which is the main organization of workers resisting privatization, and to root out opposition to the government that is increasingly worn by authoritarianism, anti-labor policy, complicity with drug traffickers, and corruption of the presidential cabinet.

Cue’s government, supported by Peña Nieto, the PRI, the PAN and the PRD, celebrated the elimination of the IEEPO, announcing that tolerance is over and that they will “apply the use of public force” against any protest of the local 22 . This is a declaration of war and a threat of repression against teachers.

This is how the regime implements the Educational Reform, with militarization and repression. This is the true reactionary nature of its democracy.

We repudiate the reactionary right-wing criminal organization demand, “Mexicanos Primero,” against Ruben Nunez, Secretary General of local 22, and reject any attempt to harass and arrest any member of the teachers union CNTE .

An injury to one is an injury to all!

We call on all trade unions who claim opposition, such as: the National Workers Union (UNT) and the New Central of Workers (NCT), and all workers and organizations in the education sector to promote a strong solidarity campaign and call for a national strike in solidarity with the teachers union CNTE.

To the Army, Federal police and National Guard – Get out of Oaxaca!!

Translation Laura Arguello

Mexico

Oaxaca

Peña Nieto

Teachers

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