Pages

Friday, April 5, 2013

Mexico Federal Police Re-open Guerrero Highway After Nearly Six-hour Blockade by Teachers

Aristegui Noticias: On Friday evening, elements of the Federal Police (PF) reopened the Highway of the Sun [between Mexico City and Acapulco, Guerrero], removing the members of the State Coordinating Committee of Education Workers of Guerrero (CETEG), who initiated the blockade at approximately 1:00 PM.

The operation by elements of the PF came after at least four requests by the police to the teachers to vacate the federal highway in Chilpancingo [the Guerrero state capital].

Around 5:30 PM, a few thousand federal agents arrived on the scene to remove the more than two thousand teachers who kept the highway blocked. The police chief who headed the operation asked the teachers to withdraw the blockade, but given their negative response, about an hour later, they began the action to reopen the road.

The CETEG members responded with sticks and stones. Some also threw Molotov cocktails. The police used tear gas to dispel the demonstrators.

By 6:50 PM, traffic was opened in both directions on the Highway of the Sun.

Manuel Mondragón y Kalb, National Security Commissioner, said in his Twitter account,
"After exhausting dialogue, the Federal Police freed circulation on the Highway to the Sun, respecting human rights and the proper use of force." 
Spanish original